Bayer Leverkusen increased their lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Cologne, who had a man sent off, to go 10 points ahead of Bayern Munich.
Xabi Alonso’s team took advantage of Bayern’s slip-up, as the reigning champions only drew 2-2 at Freiburg on Friday night.
“Ten points are a lot,” said Leverkusen’s Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka.
“But it’s not over yet. There are still many, many more points to play for and we cannot say that it’s done until it’s mathematically certain. We have to keep working and get a few more points as a team.”
Leverkusen, who have not lost in 34 games in all competitions, a German record, travelled to Cologne.
They deserved to win the heated Rhine derby, even though the Bundesliga strugglers put up a good fight with 10 men from the 15th minute.
The first goal came in the 38th minute from Alejandro Grimaldo. He crossed low from the left and Patrik Schick flicked it on for Jeremie Frimpong to score from close range, his eighth league goal of the season.
Grimaldo sealed the win in the 73rd minute, slotting the ball in at the near post after good work by substitute Amine Adli.
Forward Jan Thielmann was given a red card in the 15th minute after he stamped on Xhaka’s Achilles.
That decision made the atmosphere inside the RheinEnergieStadion very tense, with referee Tobias Stieler dealing with a Cologne team and 40,000 home fans who were not happy in the early spring sunshine.
Cologne, who are in the relegation play-off spot and eight points from safety, did well after the red card and were unlucky to hit the post twice.
But Leverkusen dominated most of the game as they moved closer to their first ever Bundesliga title with 10 games to go.
