Bayern suffer second successive loss as United loom

Bayern Munich, who tackle Manchester United in the Champions League in midweek, suffered a second consecutive Bundesliga defeat on Saturday when they slumped to a 2-1 home loss to Stuttgart.

Bayern took the lead through Croatia striker Ivica Olic, but Stuttgart hit back with goals from Christian Traesch and Ciprian Marica to hand the league leaders another defeat to follow last weekend’s shock setback at Frankfurt.

This was their fourth league loss of the season and although Bayern remain top of the league, second-placed Schalke 04 can go top if they beat Bayer Leverkusen later Saturday.

Olic blasted a cross from his Croatian compatriot Danijel Pranjic into the back of the net on 32 minutes to give Bayern the lead.

Stuttgart drew level when defender Traesch fired in a shot from 24 metres out which deflected off the shoulder of Bayern’s young defender Holger Badstuber and into the back of the net.

Romanian striker Marica headed home a cross from Germany’s Brazil-born striker Cacau on 50 minutes to put the visitors ahead.

Bayern’s Dutch coach Louis van Gaal introduced both of his chief play-makers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben to try and get their side back in the match, but to no avail.

Bayern now must pick themselves up in time to face Manchester United at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg.

After last Sunday’s shock 5-1 win at defending champions Wolfsburg, bottom side Hertha Berlin picked up yet another point when they held fourth-placed Dortmund to a 0-0 draw.

Greek striker Theofanis Gekas, who scored three goals against Wolfsburg, found the net with a second-half header, but the effort was ruled offside.

The result leaves Hertha four points from safety.

Werder Bremen remain on course for a top-five finish with a 4-2 win over relegation contenders Nuremberg despite finishing with 10 men.

Bremen took the lead in the opening minute when Germany defender Per Mertesacker headed in a cross from midfielder Mesut Oezil and the 25-year-old followed that up with a second header on 20 minutes for a 2-0 lead.

Germany team-mate Tim Borowski made it 3-0 before Nuremberg’s midfielder Mike Frantz scored to put his side back in the game before striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting made it 3-2 by converting a 63rd-minute penalty.

Bremen had captain Torsten Frings sent off for a dangerous tackle on 82 minutes, but midfielder Clemens Fritz settled any nerves with an injury-time goal.

Cologne did their chances of staying up the power of good with a 4-1 win at bottom-three side Hanover.

The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead with goals from Serbia’s Zoran Tosic, Portugal’s Petit and Slovenia’s Milivoje Novakovic after less than half an hour.

Hanover’s problems were compounded when midfielder Hanno Balitsch was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time before Tosic scored his second with 20 minutes remaining while Hanover pulled back a late goal on 81 minutes.

Defending champions Wolfsburg remain in mid-table after their 2-0 win at Mainz after two goals from striker Edin Dzeko.

Mid-table Hoffenheim host strugglers Freiburg on Sunday, while Hamburg are at Borussia Moenchengladbach.