Bayern warms up for Madrid by smashing Bundesliga goal record and closing in on title

BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich warmed up for Real Madrid's visit by smashing the Bundesliga record for goals in a season and taking a major step toward yet another league title on Saturday.

Leon Goretzka scored Bayern’s record-breaking 102nd league goal of the season as relegation-threatened St. Pauli was routed 5-0 away. Bayern opened a 12-point gap over Borussia Dortmund with five rounds remaining.

Jamal Musiala equaled the record of 101 goals set by Bayern’s 1971-72 team featuring Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller by opening the scoring with a header in the ninth minute, and Goretzka broke the record with a volley in the 53rd.

Michael Olise took the tally to 103 just a minute later, Nicolas Jackson grabbed Bayern’s fourth, and Raphaël Guerreiro scored late to lift the mark to 105.

The home fans' biggest cheer came when Goretzka had another goal ruled out after a VAR check for offside before referee Tobias Stieler blew the final whistle.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany fielded a weakened side as he rested a host of players including top scorer Harry Kane and Aleksandar Pavlović for Wednesday’s match against Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals. Bayern is defending a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Madrid on Tuesday.

Bayer Leverkusen defeated second-placed Dortmund 1-0 earlier to leave Bayern a step closer to the title before it even played.

Leverkusen ended Dortmund’s four-game winning run and did Bayern a favor — with a warning before they meet in the semifinals of the German Cup on April 22.

There were whistles for Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck before and during the match after his contract extension was announced on Friday. Dortmund fans were apparently upset that the negotiations took so long and about a tabloid report the new deal includes a release clause effective this summer for Bayern and Real Madrid.

Dortmund started well and had more possession but a loss of it when Robert Andrich pounced on a loose pass from Ramy Bensebaini to Fabio Silva led to the only goal in the 42nd minute. The Leverkusen defender let fly inside the left post from around 25 meters.

It was enough for Leverkusen to move to fifth, a point behind Stuttgart in the last Champions League qualification spot. Stuttgart hosts Hamburger SV on Sunday.

Yan Diomande scored late for Leipzig to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 to ensure it will finish the weekend among the top four.

Leipzig moved three points above Stuttgart, which it was ahead of on goal difference.

Wolfsburg appears heading toward the second division after losing at home to Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1.

Oscar Höjlund and Arnaud Kalimuendo scored in the first half for the visitors to deal Wolfsburg its third straight loss and stretch its winless run to 12 games.

Wolfsburg, which has been in the Bundesliga since 1997, remained second to last, six points from safety and potentially seven when Cologne hosts Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Last-placed Heidenheim boosted its faint hopes of survival with a 3-1 home win over Union Berlin.

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

Bayern's Michael Olise, right, scores his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC St. Pauli and Bayern Munich in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Bayern's Michael Olise is challenged by FC St. Pauli's Joel Chima Fujita during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC St. Pauli and Bayern Munich in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Bayern's Jamal Musiala celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC St. Pauli and Bayern Munich in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Bayern's Michael Olise, third from right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC St. Pauli and Bayern Munich in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Wolfsburg's Dzenan Pejcinovic kneels on the pitch after losing the Bundesliga soccer match between Wolfsburg and Frankfurt, in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday April 11, 2026. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

Dortmund' supporters wave their flags during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Waldemar Anton, right, challenges for the ball with Leverkusen's Christian Kofane, center, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leverkusen's Christian Kofane, left, challenges for the ball with Dortmund's Waldemar Anton, right, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leverkusen's Robert Andrich celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Arsenal's Premier League title bid was hit by a stunning 2-1 loss to Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The league leader blew the chance to move 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester City after losing for the third time in four games in all competitions.

“It's a big punch to the face,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “Now it’s about how we react to that, because it’s game on, it’s going to require now a big spirit, a lot of fight.”

Liverpool got a glimpse of the future as 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha scored a brilliant solo goal in a 2-0 win against Fulham.

The forward curled in the opening goal at Anfield. Mohamed Salah added the second in his first game in front his home fans since announcing he was leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Alex Scott struck a 74th-minute winner to pile pressure on Arsenal ahead of next week's top-of-the-table clash at Manchester City.

Arsenal has played two more games than City, which travels to Chelsea on Sunday and could close the gap to six points.

“There are no gray areas now,” Arteta said.

Arsenal has not won the title since 2004 and is slumping at the worst time. Defeats to City in the English League Cup final and to second-division Southampton in the FA Cup ended its pursuit of a quadruple of trophies.

It beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday but the latest loss will only heighten tension in the race for the English title after three straight years of finishing runner-up.

“The fact that as a club we haven’t done it for so long, there's a reason for that, it talks about the difficulty,” Arteta said.

Arsenal faces a huge week against Sporting in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday and then at City on Sunday.

Bournemouth went ahead inside 17 minutes through Junior Kroupi’s close-range goal. Viktor Gyokeres leveled from the penalty spot in the 35th but Arsenal struggled to create openings and Scott sealed the victory that potentially blew the title race open.

Bournemouth has won in back-to-back seasons at Arsenal and set a new club record of 12 straight games unbeaten in the Premier League.

While Arsenal remains in the driver's seat at the top of the standings, the form guide does not make good reading from Arteta’s perspective.

League stats provider Opta said before kickoff that the Arsenal manager’s Premier League win percentage in April was 44%, compared to 79% for City's Pep Guardiola.

“So today we have to suffer, it’s painful, it’s a terrible feeling, but tomorrow is a different day, and if somebody had said to me in August we are in this position right now in April, I’m sure we would all take it,” Arteta said.

As one great prepares to say goodbye to Liverpool, a new star is emerging.

Salah will bring the curtain down on an outstanding Anfield career at the end of the season — and even in a campaign in which his form has dipped he is still capable of getting fans out of their seats.

He did that with his goal late in the first half to double Liverpool's lead, firing low past Bernd Leno.

But thoughts will naturally turn to the future and, in teenager Ngumoha, Liverpool has a talent to get excited about.

He announced himself early in the season with his dramatic late winner against Newcastle and he produced another special moment with his first Anfield goal.

Liverpool tightened its grip on fifth place and Champions League qualification, moving four points clear of Chelsea in sixth.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck in stoppage time as Everton twice fought back from a goal down to draw at Brentford 2-2.

Igor Thiago twice gave Brentford the lead at Gtech Community Stadium from a third-minute penalty and a goal in the 76th.

Beto leveled for Everton in the first half and Dewsbury-Hall produced his dramatic equalizer in the first minute of added time.

Brentford missed the chance to move up to sixth.

Brazil striker Thiago has 24 goals in all competitions this season and 21 in the league. Only Erling Haaland with 22 has more.

Mats Wieffer scored in both halves as Brighton beat Burnley 2-0.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham in Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham in Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Brentford's Igor Thiago celebrates scoring his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League match between Brentford and Everton, at the Gtech Community Stadium, London, Saturday April 11, 2026. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Bournemouth's Alex Scott scores his side's second goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Arsenal's Gabriel reacts following defeat in Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Arsenal's Declan Rice reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, left, scores their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth, in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Bournemouth's Evanilson, and Eli Junior Kroupi celebrate after scoring during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi scores during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)