Lacklustre Bayern Munich dropped points for a second consecutive away Bundesliga game, playing out a goalless draw against 10-man Bayer Leverkusen.
An experimental Bayern starting XI, featuring five changes from their midweek Champions League defeat against Real Madrid, failed to take their chances against the relegation-threatened home side, who had Tin Jedvaj sent off on the hour mark.
Positives
With attention already firmly fixed on Tuesday's Champions League return in Madrid against holders Real, a heavily rotated "Bayern B" side carved out enough decent chances to win two games. Eight points clear of RB Leipzig with five games left, Bayern's fifth successive Bundesliga title remains a formality.
Negatives
Kingsley Coman and Javi Martinez both left the pitch injured as an injury crisis has struck at a most inopportune time -- just like in the previous three campaigns under Pep Guardiola. Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and the suspended Robert Lewandowski missed the Leverkusen game and all face a race against time to be fit for the return against Real.
Manager rating out of 10
5 -- Spring was supposed to be Carlo Ancelotti's time to shine but Bayern looked bereft of ideas, especially when Leverkusen were reduced to 10 men, while they famously went to pieces after Martinez's red card on Wednesday in Munich. Do Bayern have a tactical plan against or with 10 men? The experienced Italian will win the Bundesliga in his debut season, but, brought in to deliver the Champions League, he can expect criticism if Bayern exit in the Bernabeu -- even earlier than Guardiola's triple semifinal adios.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Manuel Neuer, 7 -- Neuer was barely tested on his domestic return after his toe trouble and easily secured his fifth consecutive Bundesliga clean sheet on his first league outing in almost a month. No question, though, No. 2 keeper Sven Ulreich would have claimed a clean sheet, too.
DF Juan Bernat, 6 -- The Spain international replaced David Alaba at left-back with plenty of attacking intent in the first half, providing a decent cross for Thiago's header. Bernat should have capitalised on a Coman rebound to open the scoring but inexplicably delayed at the wrong time.
DF David Alaba, 7 -- Called into action once again as an emergency left-sided centre-back, a role he has filled with aplomb in recent seasons. Had decent penalty claims when the ball struck Jedvaj in the box in the first half.
DF Javi Martinez, 6 -- Suspended for the return against Real, and with both Hummels and Boateng injured, Bayern's record signing was always going to play in this one. Martinez put in his typically wholehearted display, with a couple of timely interceptions intertwined with a few rash challenges -- but unlike against Cristiano Ronaldo, no red card. However, Martinez looked in trouble with a thigh injury and had to be replaced by Philipp Lahm on 72 minutes.
DF Rafinha, 7 -- The twice-capped Brazilian is a solid and reliable understudy for the retiring Lahm and did not let Bayern down again on the day.
MF Arturo Vidal, 6 -- Had a goalbound header scraped from the line by Omer Toprak in the first half. Against his former club, he looked to be still suffering from a Champions League hangover after his hideous botched penalty in midweek.
MF Joshua Kimmich, 6 -- Shone in every single minute of Germany's previous 12 internationals, but looked short of confidence and match practise on only his 12th Bundesliga start of the season.
MF Thiago, 6 -- Headed narrowly over from Bernat's pinpoint cross, but quiet otherwise and Bayern will need their midfield maestro at his best in Madrid to overcome the reigning champions.
MF Douglas Costa, 5 -- Some wayward passing interspersed with errant shooting and the bare minimum of trickery, only catching the eye when getting to the byline on 52 minutes to feed Thomas Muller. Hooked off for Arjen Robben after Leverkusen's red card, with all the signs currently pointing to the Brazilian leaving the club in the summer if the right sort of offers arrives.
MF Kingsley Coman, 5 -- The Frenchman should have given Bayern a first-half lead but fired straight at keeper Bernd Leno from three yards when it looked easier to score. Coman left the pitch holding his left thigh with possibly yet another untimely injury.
FW Thomas Muller, 5 -- Missed the past two league games but again looked far from comfortable leading the line in Lewandowski's absence due to suspension. Muller's delightful ball did find Coman, but he squandered the golden chance to open the scoring. Muller's best chance went begging when he stabbed a Costa cross narrowly past the post, before showing his current malaise by taking far too long to get a shot off with the goal at his mercy.
Substitutes
MF Arjen Robben, 6 -- On his 250th appearance in a Bayern shirt, Robben headed into the side netting in added time as the league leaders could not find a winning goal.
MF Xabi Alonso, NR -- Replaced the injured Coman but did not play on the right wing, stepping into midfield as Bayern failed to break down resolute Leverkusen.
DF Philipp Lahm, NR -- Replaced the labouring Martinez and almost scored the winner in the dying minutes, but fired narrowly wide. There's now a maximum of 11 games left in Lahm's retirement countdown.