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Mitchell Weiser shocked his former club, Bayern Munich, with the sole goal, leading Werder Bremen to a 1-0 victory on Sunday and maintaining Bayer Leverkusen’s seven-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
Bayern had not been held scoreless in the league since February 2020, when Leipzig, managed by former Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann, secured a 0-0 draw at the Allianz Arena.
Bremen’s triumph, their first against Bayern in any competition since 2008, ended a 27-game winless streak against the German champions, including 26 losses.
Leverkusen’s 3-2 win against RB Leipzig on Saturday intensified the pressure on Bayern, who entered Sunday’s game with two games in hand.
“You have to ask the players,” Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel told DAZN when questioned about the performance.
“We played today like it didn’t matter, as if we were 10 points ahead and had a Champions League match to play on Tuesday.
“After the Leverkusen result, we wanted to start aggressively and send a signal, but we didn’t succeed at all.”
Bremen had a goal disallowed by VAR in the first half for a foul on Jamal Musiala, but Mitchell Weiser took matters into his own hands in the second period, gliding down the right wing and blasting into the net after 59 minutes.
“We showed everything you need to show to win here. Today we had a perfect day — and with that, you can beat Bayern,” said Weiser.
Bayern applied relentless pressure after the opener but failed to break through.
Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller told DAZN his side were “sluggish and lifeless,” describing the result as “a hard slap in the face.”
Bremen, aiming to overturn 16 years of history without beating Bayern, had a strong start. Weiser forced a fingertip save from Manuel Neuer midway through the first half.
Bremen’s Justin Njinmah found the net after a rapid counter-attack, but the goal was disallowed, with VAR detecting a foul on Musiala at the other end of the pitch.
Bayern left the field to a scattering of boos and whistles, but the half-time break did not revive the home side, as Bremen continued to impress.
Weiser, who spent three years at Bayern before leaving on a free transfer in 2015, gave the visitors the lead in impressive fashion, dancing down the right flank and unleashing a powerful shot into the top of the net.
Bremen’s win handed the defending champions their second league loss of the season.
Bayern has an opportunity to reduce the gap at the top when they play their game in hand at home against Union Berlin on Wednesday.
Bremen’s victory lifts them nine points clear of the relegation places.
Later on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach will host Augsburg.
