Bayern stretches Bundesliga lead ahead of World Cup break

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany: With players keen to avoid injury risks ahead of the World Cup, Bayern Munich stretched their Bundesliga lead to six points after a 2-0 win over Schalke on Saturday in their last game before the tournament in Qatar. Bayern lacked some of their usual intensity as Julian Nagelmann’s team cruised to victory against last-place Schalke thanks to goals from Serge Gnabry and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Bayern were without Sadio Mané — because of a fibula injury which has made the Senegal forward a World Cup doubt — while Canada left back Alphonso Davies has a muscle issue and Nagelsmann opted not to risk Thomas Müller after the experienced German had a run of minor injuries.

Schalke held Bayern at bay until the 38th minute when Gnabry ran onto Jamal Musiala’s smart backheel pass to score the opener. Choupo-Moting, heading to his third World Cup with Cameroon, finished off a quick counterattack in the 52nd for his seventh goal in his last seven Bundesliga games. Bayern forward Leroy Sané’s younger brother Sidi made his league debut off the bench for Schalke.

The brothers weren’t on the field together as Leroy was taken off five minutes before his 19-year-old brother came on. Around the country, German fan groups continued to display banners urging fans not to watch the upcoming World Cup. A large banner reading “Boycott Qatar 2022” was displayed along one side of Hertha Berlin’s stadium, and similar messages were shown at Schalke, Werder Bremen, Augsburg and at other games.