European soccer news: Dortmund end losing streak, sink Bayern

European club football is back after an exciting international break!

Manchester City beat Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the table. In the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen's late victory and Bayern Munich's defeat to Borussia Dortmund all but sealed the title race.

Meanwhile, Tyler Adams made a much-anticipated return to the Premier League with Bournemouth, and in La Liga, Barcelona secured a victory against 10-man Las Palmas.

– Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, NWSL, LaLiga, Bundesliga and more (US only)

SATURDAY REVIEW

The advantage: Bayern Munich fail as Dortmund end their match Classic losing streak

A day after Xabi Alonso announced he would stay at Bayer Leverkusen and hours after his team secured yet another victory, Bayern Munich were tasked with beating Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. THE Classic in order to maintain their slim championship chances. Dortmund had suffered nine consecutive away defeats against Bayern before Saturday's match, but the side managed by Edin Terzic managed to turn the tide by posting a near-flawless performance at Munich's Allianz Arena, beating the Bayern 2-0.

What helped the rather defensive guests immensely was Karim Adeyemi's early goal. Up front, Thomas Müller lost the ball and thus allowed Dortmund to launch a counter-attack, Julian Brandt eventually finding Adeyemi on the left side who then eluded Matthijs de Ligt before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, who replaced an injured person. Neuer manual.

Miracles happen! Dortmund wins a Bundesliga match in Munich for the first time in 10 years! pic.twitter.com/eTliygTwDk

– Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) March 30, 2024

After Dortmund's opening goal, Bayern at times looked desperate to find a way through the guest defense. The reigning champions missed the presence of Aleksandar Pavlovic in central midfield. Even though the 19-year-old has only made 13 appearances so far, he has become the creative engine behind Bayern's line-up. With Pavlovic absent due to illness, Leon Goretzka and Konrad Laimer, the two midfielders in Bayern's 4-2-3-1, mostly failed to break down Dortmund's defensive structure.

And if Bayern managed to penetrate the Dortmund penalty area, Mats Hummels was ready to clean up. The 35-year-old once again showed incredible composure and positional awareness during a high-profile match, which could lead to more calls for him to be chosen by the German national coach Julian Nagelsmann for Euro 2024.

Thomas Tuchel, Nagelsmann's successor at Bayern, must come to terms with another setback this season, as the home defeat leaves his side 13 points behind Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen with seven matches remaining. Meanwhile, Dortmund have strengthened their grip on fourth place, with Terzic aiming to qualify for next season's Champions League competition. -Constantin Eckner

Saturday Talking Points Around Leagues

Barça keeps the pressure on Real Madrid

Barcelona's revival since coach , Real Madrid, five points. Raphinha scored the only goal as Barca went 11 games unbeaten since Xavi made his decision public.

Victory against Las Palmas was never really in doubt as visiting goalkeeper Álvaro Valles was sent off for a foul on Raphinha in the 24th minute, but Barça still had to work hard to secure all three points. Raphinha had a goal ruled out for offside before Valles' dismissal, with the Brazilian then shooting wide and Robert Lewandowski hitting the bar on good chances after the keeper had been given his marching orders.

The opener finally arrived on the hour mark, João Félix coming in from the left before delivering a perfect cross for Raphinha who nodded expertly into the top corner. Félix then went from hero to villain, smashing the bar from two meters with the goal gaping after good work from Jules Koundé. The Portuguese forward did not have to pay for his failure, despite late pressure from Las Palmas, with Alberto Moleiro the side who managed to equalise.

Given their recent resurgence in form – and the bigger tasks ahead of them, such as Paris Saint-Germain's upcoming Champions League quarter-final and a trip to Madrid later this month – Xavi will perhaps tolerate be his team's offensive prolificacy here, especially as it came coupled with a fifth consecutive clean sheet in the league.

Barca now have 10 days to wait for the first leg in Paris, with La Liga on break for next weekend's Copa del Rey final, although thoughts already seemed to turn to that match in the second half with Lewandowski and João Cancelo picking up cheap bookings that rule them out of the next league match. It's a trip to Cadiz, sandwiched between these two huge PSG matches, meaning Lewandowski and Cancelo can now give Luis Enrique's side their full attention. — Sam Marsden

The Cityzens continue their march against Liverpool

In less than 10 minutes at Prenton Park, Manchester City turned the midfield stalemate into a 3-0 advantage from which Liverpool were unable to come back, eventually losing 4-1.

It was the clash of philosophies on Saturday lunchtime: City with a firm starting XI and a manager who had preached the need to perfect “Plan A” rather than aligning plans B, C and D. And Liverpool under Matt Beard, adapting throughout the season to try to stifle their changing opposition and work on the balance to allow them to play in a way that suits those available in red. The plan for Beard worked in the first 15 minutes, City were largely canceled out and Rachael Laws was a spectator in the home goal but unable to clear City's first effort of the game, when the hosts were immediately pegged back as the The ball fell nicely for Lauren. Hemp to go home.

A quick one became two when Jessica Park squirmed in the final third before firing home at the far post. Bunny Shaw's first of the afternoon was an audacious strike from outside the box that had the hosts wondering how the game had slipped away from them. While each goal has its own personality, it's a testament to how City have perfected this Plan A and how easily their forwards and midfielders blend together on the pitch, regularly able to find space to occupy while that they advance the ball into dangerous areas.

A header from Shaw started the second half as City looked to improve their goal difference, chasing Chelsea's place at the top of the WSL table, but Liverpool's adjustments helped contain their visitors. Taylor Hinds' late, late strike gave the hosts something to cheer about and reduced City's goal advantage over Chelsea to one. The Blues still have a match in hand and the fight for the title goes down to the wire. — Sophie Lawson

Americans Abroad: Balogun Scores Double, Adams Makes Winning Comeback

Tyler Adams made his first Premier League start for Bournemouth since March 2023, and what a return it was. The 25-year-old midfielder played 90 minutes and made an excellent defensive shift, helping the Cherries to a 2-1 victory over Everton.

He's back 👊 pic.twitter.com/U9PaFcOEnR

– AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) March 30, 2024

Folarin Balogun scored twice for AS Monaco against Metz after coming on as a substitute in the 66th minute. The USMNT striker will be hoping this double will open the floodgates, as his scoring form (eight goals this season) has not been up to par with last season, when he scored 22 goals for Reims. Monaco currently occupies second place in the standings, 10 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain.

Brenden Aaronson was substituted in the 65th minute during Union Berlin's goalless draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. On loan from Leeds United, Aaronson had two shots during the game but failed to make the difference. He has two goals for the Union this season, who are in 12th place.

Timothy Weah And Weston McKennie both came on as substitutes in Juventus' 1-0 defeat to Lazio. Weah has only scored one goal for the club this season, while McKennie has contributed seven assists so far. With Saturday's defeat, Juventus finds itself in third place in the standings behind AC Milan and Internazionale. -SherShah Atif

News of the day

• Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique says he still hopes Kylian Mbappé could 'change his mind' and stay with the club, despite being heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer . Sources confirmed to ESPN in February that Mbappé had decided to join Madrid this summer after his contract with PSG expired. Asked if this will be Mbappé's last chance to play The classic was going to influence his starting XI, Luis Enrique declared: “Why will this be his last derby? I always kept hope that Kylian could change his mind, he hasn't said anything yet. He could change of opinion.”

• Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino accused his players of lacking the hunger needed to compete in the Premier League after his side were held to a 2-2 draw at home by 10-man Burnley on Saturday. Despite Cole Palmer's double, struggling Burnley twice came from behind and Dara O'Shea equalized late at Stamford Bridge. “Today we did not show the ability, the energy, the hunger which are the minimum to compete in the Premier League,” Pochettino said in his post-match press conference. “In the defensive phase we conceded too much. That's why I'm so upset and disappointed.”

• Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel says the Bundesliga title race is “obviously” over after his side's defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday left them 13 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with seven matches remaining. “After today's match, there is no longer any need to keep score. How many are there now? Congratulations to Leverkusen.”

And finally, Saturday…

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen once again came away late to claim the winner in stoppage time against Hoffenheim. After being down 1-0 for most of the match, Leverkusen's Robert Andrich (88th minute) and Patrik Schick (91st minute) came to the rescue and led their team to a spectacular victory.

To further illustrate how incredible the Bundesliga leaders have been this season, they have scored seven times in stoppage time in 2024, while Schick scored his 5th goal in his last five games. The Leverkusen train shows no signs of slowing down as it moves in extraordinary fashion towards a first league title. — Atif