Bundesliga: Record-breaking Leverkusen battles past Freiburg to edge closer to maiden league title

Bayer Leverkusen beat hosts Freiburg 3-2 on Sunday to stay 10 points clear at the top of the league standings and edge closer to a first ever Bundesliga title.

Florian Wirtz put the visitors, who are unbeaten across all competitions this season, in front after two minutes before Ritsu Doan’s clever shot in the 10th drew Freiburg level.

Leverkusen, who faces West Ham in the Europa League quarterfinals next month, went back into a deserved lead in the 40th when Adam Hlozek tapped in from close range after Freiburg keeper Noah Atubolu had spilled the ball into his path following superb early work from Wirtz.

Patrik Schick’s stunning flick, with the ball going in off the post in the 53rd, gave them a two-goal cushion and should have killed off the game.

Instead they eased off, allowing Freiburg more space, and Yannik Keitel cut the deficit after some sloppy defending in the 79th to inject some late drama.

Germany international Wirtz hit the post a little later before Freiburg responded with a golden chance of their own in stoppage time but Kiliann Sildillia’s close-range header flew over the bar and Leverkusen hung on for a club-record 22nd league win in a season.

Xabi Alonso’s team, who also set a club record with their sixth straight away win in the Bundesliga, are on 70 points, 10 ahead of second-placed Bayern Munich with eight league matches left to play.