Bayern held at home by Schalke
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Munich, Germany (SportsNetwork.com) - Bayern Munich's disappointing return from the Bundesliga winter break continued at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday as the club was held to a 1-1 draw by Schalke.
The reigning champions returned to action on Friday and laid a massive egg, suffering a 4-1 loss to second-place Wolfsburg.
It looked to be much of the same in Tuesday's affair as Jerome Boateng was sent off in the 18th minute for denying Schalke a scoring opportunity. Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting could not punish Bayern any further as the Schalke striker failed to convert the ensuing penalty, saving Boateng's blushes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The hosts eventually took the lead in the 67th minute when Arjen Robben, first to meet a corner kick, sent a glancing header just inside the far post.
The lead was short-lived, though, as Schalke answered five minutes later with a virtually identical goal. It was Benedikt Howedes doing the honors, crashing the penalty area to send a powerful header just past Manuel Neuer at the far post.
Neither side managed to find a winner in the closing stages, leaving first- place Bayern to settle for a home draw and bring its total to 46 points through 19 matches.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The draw ultimately did not hurt Pep Guardiola's men as Wolfsburg was held to a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday.
The hosts were in front through Stefan Aigner's 58th-minute goal, but Kevin de Bruyne netted the equalizer two minutes from time to see Wolfsburg salvage a share of the spoils and keep the club within eight points of Bayern.
Also in Tuesday's Bundesliga slate, Patrick Herrmann netted the lone goal in Borussia Monchengladbach's 1-0 home defeat of Freiburg while Elkin Soto scored in the 77th minute to help Mainz to a 1-1 draw at Hannover.