(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) Berlin Jumada I 25 1437 Mar 5 2016 SPA -- Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich and second-placed Borussia Dortmund produced an entertaining 0-0 draw on Saturday which benefited visitors Bayern more in the battle for the championship dpa reported.
Injury-hit Bayern's midweek home defeat by Mainz had reopened the title race after near perennial rivals Dortmund also won at Darmstadt making "der Klassiker" one of the most important for years.
But Dortmund had to settle for a point and were lucky to get that after Bayern's Arturo Vidal struck the bar midway through the second half meaning the champions maintained their five-point lead with nine games left.
The first half was a lively affair with excited tension evident among the 81000 fans packed into the Signal Iduna Park.
Both sides had decent chances the best fell to Bayern winger Douglas Costa who shot straight at Roman Buerki when clean through on goal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also forced Manuel Neuer into a decent save after using his pace to get round the back of Bayern's makeshift defence.
The Gabon striker was also denied by the Germany goalkeeper early in the second half when the hosts were often let down by Henrikh Mkhitaryan's off-key passing.
Vidal then missed a header and Arjen Robben shot over as Bayern took charge with Chilean Vidal spurning the best opportunity when his powerful drive following a corner was just tipped onto the crossbar by Buerki.
Pundits have wondered whether defending champions Bayern have gone slightly off the boil since coach Pep Guardiola announced he was leaving for Manchester City at the end of the season.
But to be fair to the Spaniard they had not looked like losing until the Mainz game and he has had a terrible injury crisis in defence to deal with.
--SPA
00:01 LOCAL TIME 21:01 GMT
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