Sané answers critics as Bayern routs Hoffenheim to preserve 4-point Bundesliga lead

Leroy Sané answered critics by scoring two goals as Bayern Munich routed Hoffenheim 5-0 to restore its four-point lead in the Bundesliga on Wednesday.

Sané is subject to increased attention with his contract due to expire at the end of the season. Pundits including former Bayern great Lothar Matthaeus say he hasn’t lived up to expectations since joining from Manchester City in 2020, making a contract extension unlikely. Matthaeus was speaking to broadcaster Sky before kickoff.

Sané wasted little time in responding with the opener in the seventh minute when he fired a fierce shot inside the far post after Thomas Müller laid the ball off. Sané’s celebrations showed the criticism had perhaps taken its toll.

“You always want to shake him, that he just does something and doesn’t think too much. And today he did a lot and didn't think too much and he looked good,” Müller said.

Raphaël Guerreiro was celebrating five minutes later as a long evening beckoned for Hoffenheim. Guerreiro played a one-two with Harry Kane before scoring his first Bundesliga goal of the season.

Kane made it 3-0 with a penalty in the 26th. It was his 16th goal of the season.

Sané got his second after the break, set up by Mathys Tel, and substitute Serge Gnabry scored minutes after going on for Kane.

Sané went off to applause from the Bayern fans after Gnabry's goal.

“In the end, you get praised if you give a good performance and you might get a bit of flack if things don’t go so well," Sané said. "I always try to help the team, to give a good performance. And I’m the first one who's unhappy when I don’t give a good performance and can’t help the team.”

Stuttgart pressuring Leipzig for Champions League qualification

Fourth-place Leipzig finished with nine players after squandering a lead to lose 2-1 at Stuttgart, which moved a point behind the visitors.

Benjamin Šeško gave Leipzig an early lead, but the home team was irate that play had continued after an apparent foul by Ridle Baku on Deniz Undav in the buildup. Referee Sascha Stegemann booked Stuttgart assistant coach David Krecidlo for complaining.

Undav set up winter signing Jacob Bruun Larsen to equalize in the 50th and Nick Woltemade completed the comeback 10 minutes later when he poked home the rebound from an Undav effort.

Šeško and Loïs Openda were sent off late as Leipzig slumped to its fifth defeat of the season. Both will miss the next match at Bochum on Saturday.

Bochum wins relegation battle

Bochum defeated St. Pauli 1-0 in the early game thanks to an acrobatic second-half strike from Philipp Hofmann. It’s Bochum’s second win of the season, though it remains bottom.

Bochum is still awaiting the result of Union Berlin’s appeal against the German soccer federation’s decision to award Bochum a win from their game after the Bochum goalkeeper was struck by a lighter.

Also Wednesday, Union slumped to its second straight defeat under new coach Steffen Baumgart with dismal defending to blame for a 2-0 loss at home to Augsburg.

Leonardo Scienza scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time for Heidenheim's third equalizer in a 3-3 draw at Werder Bremen.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press