Pep Guardiola insists Bayern Munich's shock 2-0 defeat at home to Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday only proves the reigning Bundesliga champions must keep fighting to defend their title.
Bayern suffered only their third defeat of the season in all competitions and their first home defeat as Gladbach’s Brazilian striker Raffael scored both of the team’s goals.
Guardiola’s side still command a 10-point lead at the top of the table with eight games left.
But there was more bad news for Bayern’s head coach as Dutch winger Arjen Robben was forced off in the first-half and taken to hospital with a torn stomach muscle and is expected to miss the next few weeks.
“The injury is just as painful as the defeat,” said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge with Robben facing a race against time to be fit for their two-legged Champions League quarter-final against FC Porto next month.
The win lifted Lucien Favre’s Gladbach back to third in the table and it was only their third win in Munich in 47 league games, having last won at the Allianz Arena four years ago.
“They barely got into our half before they scored their first goal and it’s not easy to break down a side who pack their defence,” said Guardiola.
“We failed to break down their defence and they counter-attacked superbly, but we did all we could.
“We still have a 10-point lead, but we must fight until the end to defend our title.
“We still have eight games left and we have the chance now to regroup during the international break.”
Raffael, who turns 30 next Saturday, profited from a rare mistake by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who failed to block the Brazilian’s long-range shot which rolled into the Munich goal with half an hour gone.
Gladbach claimed their second on 77 minutes when Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer squared for Raffael to fire his second past Neuer.
“We missed out on a chance because Wolfsburg drew, but we won’t let that spoil our mood,” lamented Neuer after second-placed Wolfsburg had been earlier held to a surprise 1-1 draw at Mainz.
Bayern’s next league game is a clash at resurgent Borussia Dortmund, who have finished runners-up to Munich for the last two years, on April 4.
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ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.
Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.
The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
J Street Polling Results
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74% of American Jews agreed that “Trump and the Maga movement are a threat to Jews in America"
