Berlin, 29 January 2023 (dpa/MIA) – Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich drew 1-1 for the third straight game on Saturday as their malaise after the mid-season break continued at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Leroy Sané struck in the first half but fifth-placed Frankfurt levelled against the run of play on 69 minutes through France striker Randal Kolo Muani.

Bayern – who had drawn 1-1 with RB Leipzig and Cologne already in January – failed to really threaten a winner, with the visitors arguably coming closer.

“There were lots of points which we can work on and we will talk about it,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann told Sky.

“We had several occasions where we played some nice stuff around the box but then never threatened. It wasn’t an especially good display.”

Union Berlin earlier seized the derby bragging rights for a fifth straight time in a 2-0 win at second-bottom Hertha Berlin, moving up to second, now just a point behind Bayern.

On Friday, in the first game of the second half of the Bundesliga campaign, Leipzig beat lowly VfB Stuttgart 2-1 and now sit third.

Freiburg outgunned Augsburg 3-1 at home on Saturday to move fourth.

Mid-table Borussia Mönchengladbach had lost both matches this year but sealed a 4-1 win at sliding Hoffenheim while Mainz thrashed third-bottom Bochum 5-2 at home, Karim Onisiwo grabbing a hat-trick.

Hosts burst Wolfsburg’s high-scoring bubble with a 2-1 victory thanks to Bundesliga top scorer Niclas Füllkrug’s double.

Bayern‘s Serge Gnabry was benched against Frankfurt after struggling in the mid-week draw with Cologne having angered Bayern by attending Paris Fashion Week in the run-up.

Kingsley Coman replaced him while Thomas Müller returned to the starting line-up for the injured Leon Goretzka.

But it was Sané who made the breakthrough when he swept home on 34 minutes. The goal stood after a video review for a possible foul.

Bayern should have extended their lead before Europa League winners Frankfurt hit back on the break in a flowing move, Kolo Muani being given too much room to shoot by Dayot Upamecano.

Bayern next play in the German Cup last 16 on Wednesday at Mainz.

Hertha, based in west Berlin, are a bigger club than Union in terms of history, capacity and fans but have been outshone by their eastern rivals since Union first entered the German top flight in 2019.

Union have revelled in playing in the Conference League and Europa League in recent years and may have the chance to taste the Champions League next term if they carry on in this form.

Danilho Doekhi met Christopher Trimmel’s free-kick before the break with a 12th headed goal this season from Union, fifth last term.

Paul Seguin tapped in Sheraldo Becker’s pass midway through the second half, with Hertha protests about a foul at the other end seconds earlier being waved away. It was Union’s third win in a row.

But Urs Fischer was far from happy after an 11th win from 18 games.

“If you look at the 90 minutes as a whole, you can’t say we are a top team,” the coach said.

Hertha sacked sporting director Fredi Bobic soon after the defeat.

Bottom side Schalke welcome Cologne on Sunday before Borussia Dortmund, in sixth, go to Bayer Leverkusen.