ERIC DIER was left with blood pouring down his face after an incredible goal-saving header.
The defender made a vital stop near the goal line in Bayern Munich‘s shock Bundesliga loss to Stuttgart.
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But it came at a price as Serhou Guirassy’s ferocious strike opened up a huge gash on Dier’s forehead.
And Bayern fans loved the former Spurs defender’s commitment.
Posting a video of the incident, one fan wrote: “This is exactly what you’ve always wanted in a defender, isn’t it?”
A second replied: “I’m sorry for everything bad I’ve ever said about him. Man is a professional.”
A third added: “Bro is cut from a different cloth.”
While another stunned watcher wrote: “What a comeback. From Tottenham bench to Bayern starter.”
Dier, 30, had already injured his head a couple of minutes prior, but still used it for his brave goal line clearance.
And that’s why he soon found himself covered in red.
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Fans were even more impressed when Dier carried on after receiving treatment, with his head heavily bandaged.
A minute after Dier’s heroic effort Leonidas Stergiou gave Stuttgart the lead from Deniz Undav’s assist.
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Bayern then evened the scoreline in the 37th minute through Harry Kane‘s strike from a spot-kick, after Serge Gnabry was brought down inside the penalty box.
The strike against Stuttgart was Kane’s 36th league goal of the season and 44th overall.
The England captain is now six goals away from breaking Robert Lewandowski‘s Bundesliga record.
But Bayern failed to secure a win as two late goals from Jeong Woo-Yeng and Silas Katompa Mvumpa secured the home side all three points.
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Now Stuttgart sit just two points behind Bayern with only two games to go in the season.
That means Thomas Tuchel‘s side – who have already lost their 11-year Bundesliga winning streak to Bayer Leverkusen – may even end up finishing third this term.
But the German giants’ season could still end in glory as they take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash.
This one will have stung Kane the most… what’s the German for schadenfreude?, says Dave Kidd
By Dave Kidd
OF all the trophies Harry Kane has missed out on, the Bundesliga will have stung the most.
This was supposed to have been a dead cert. This was nailed-on.
Bayern Munich had won 11 successive Bundesliga titles, so when the England captain signed for the great Bavarian powerhouse last summer, we all said: “Well, at least he’ll finally win something.”
Yet on Sunday evening, there were Bayer Leverkusen — known in Germany as ‘Neverkusen’ because they hadn’t previously won the league thanks to several late implosions — cavorting around, 16 points clear, unbeaten in all competitions and confirmed as champions with five games to spare.
And so the greatest trophy curse in footballing history continues.
And this one really is freakish because Leverkusen’s story is almost as extraordinary as Leicester City’s miracle title in 2015-16 — the season when Kane won his first Premier League Golden Boot and Tottenham ended up ‘third in a two-horse race’ behind Arsenal.
Kane is always the runner-up, always the nearly man, always the fall guy, too often a figure of fun for those taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.
Does anyone know the German word for schadenfreude…?
Read Dave Kidd’s column in full.
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