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'1,500 tourists': Dortmund CEO snipes at Bayern's support as war of words heats up with title race

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic hit back by inviting the Dortmund chief to title celebrations in Munich, before the champions drew with Nuremberg.

BAYERN MUNICH SPORTING director Hasan Salihamidzic was involved in a war of the words with Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke this weekend as a thrilling Bundesliga title race took another unexpected turn.

Soccer 1. Bundesliga / 1.FC Nuremberg - Bayern Munich 1-1. Hasan Salihamidzic watches Saturday's draw. DPA / PA Images DPA / PA Images / PA Images

Reigning champions Bayern remain on course to wrap up a seventh successive title, but missed the chance to pull clear of Dortmund as both sides dropped points this weekend.

Ahead of Saturday’s derby with Schalke, Dortmund CEO Watzke claimed that “70% of Germans” wanted his club to win the title, and that hardly anybody would turn up to celebrate if Bayern were crowned champions.

“When they celebrate in the (Munich central square) Marienplatz, there will be about 3,000 people and maybe 1,500 tourists there.”

“In Dortmund, the title celebration is another thing entirely.”

Dortmund, firo: 27.04.2019, Football, 1.Bundesliga, season 2018/2019, BVB, Borussia Dortmund - FC Schalke 04, Hans-Joachim Watzke, left, with Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc. firo Sportphoto / Christopher NEUNDORF firo Sportphoto / Christopher NEUNDORF / Christopher NEUNDORF

Watzke’s side promptly lost 4-2 to rivals Schalke, giving Bayern the chance to pull four points clear on Sunday, and Bayern sporting director Salihamidzic couldn’t resist a sarcastic response.

“Maybe we will invite Mr Watzke to our title celebration, then he will see that there are many thousands of people there,” he told Sky on Sunday.

Yet Salihamidzic was also forced to eat his words after Bayern were held to a 1-1 draw by strugglers Nuremberg.

Bayern are now two points ahead of Dortmund with three games to go, and still have to face top four sides RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Dortmund coach Lucien Favre declared the title race over after Saturday’s crushing derby defeat, but Watzke contradicted him on Sunday.

“We will only give up when we have no mathematical chance anymore, we owe that to the fans,” he told kicker magazine.

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