Soccer Football - Bundesliga - TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v Bayern Munich - PreZero Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - May 18, 2024 Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Heiko Becker
SINSHEIM, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of an Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in the Bundesliga finale on Saturday, ending a disappointing season in third place as coach Thomas Tuchel bowed out.
Saturday's performance was indicative of Bayern's first season without a trophy in over a decade, having played outstandingly to reach the Champions League semi-finals, but also falling prey to weaker opponents, including third-tier Saarbruecken who beat them in the German Cup.
Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies put the injury-depleted Bavarians 2-0 up after six minutes.
They were without leading striker Harry Kane, back in England to treat an injury ahead of Euro 2024, as well as Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane.
Hoffenheim did not give up and pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier two minutes later and the hosts gradually took some of the early pace out of the game.
Croatia international Kramaric delivered a stunning 19-minute hat-trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, to send them down to third place in the standings on 72 points.
Tuchel was told in February he would be leaving at the end of the season, a year earlier than his contract. He confirmed there had been talks last week to potentially reverse that decision, but no agreement was reached.
Bayern are struggling to find his successor after several other coaches, including Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso, Ralf Rangnick and Julian Nagelsmann, opted to remain in their current jobs.
Bayer Leverkusen claimed top spot on 90 points. VfB Stuttgart finished runners-up on 73 with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Moenchengladbach. Bayern eneded up third on 72.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
