Football Briefs: Bayern stretch Bundesliga lead with win over Bremen

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller each struck twice to hand Bayern Munich a 4-2 win over Werder Bremen on Sunday and stretch their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to a staggering 16 points.

Lewandowski, who had missed Bayern's last match with a knee injury, put the team 2-1 ahead with a powerful header in the 63rd minute.

He then grabbed another in the 76th with yet another header after Bremen had levelled with a Niklas Suele own goal.

In the first half, Germany international Mueller cancelled out Bremen's lead through Jerome Gondorf and then put the final touch on Bayern's win six minutes from time.

The forward has now netted 17 times in the Bundesliga this season as Bayern have now collected 47 points with Bayer Leverkusen, 4-1 winners over Hoffenheim on Saturday, second on 31.

"Bremen did it really well and we were not fully there at the start," Mueller said. "But the team is always there when it has to. We are certainly not yet where we want to be."

Schalke 04 missed their chance to take over second place after Niclas Fuellkrug snatched an 86th minute equaliser for Hanover 96 for a 1-1 draw.

Schalke are third on 31, level on points with Leverkusen as well as RB Leipzig and Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Villarreal among Liga clubs to sign Saudi Arabia players

Spanish top flight clubs Villarreal, Leganes and Levante all announced on Sunday loan signings of Saudi Arabia internationals until the end of the season as part of an agreement between La Liga and the Arab state's authorities.

Second-tier sides Sporting Gijon, Numancia, Rayo Vallecano and Real Valladolid also participated in the deal, with a statement from the league's organising body saying a total of nine players would move to Spain, including two academy players.

Saudi Arabia will play the opening game of the 2018 World Cup against hosts Russia after qualifying for the tournament for the first time since 2006.

Before the loan signings were announced on Sunday, the vast majority of Saudi Arabia's international players competed in the country's top flight. Only one player, Mukhtar Ali, plays abroad with Dutch top flight side Vitesse Arnhem.

Villarreal, who are fifth in the Liga standings and in the last 32 of the Europa League, brought in midfielder Salem Al Dawsari, while Leganes signed forward Yahia Al-Shehri. Levante signed Fahad Al-Muwallad.

Lyon trim PSG's Ligue 1 lead with 2-1 win 

Memphis Depay's last-gasp goal earned Olympique Lyonnais a 2-1 home win against 10-man Paris St Germain, cutting the Ligue 1 pacesetter's lead down to eight points on Sunday.

Depay fired home four minutes into stoppage time to put Lyon on 48 points from 22 games with PSG, who were without the injured Neymar, on 56 after their second defeat of the season.

Dani Alves was shown a straight red card in the 57th minute after a rough tackle on Tanguy Ndombele. Layvin Kurzawa had cancelled out Nabil Fekir's early opener.

Monaco are fourth on 46 points after goals by Jorge, Rachid Ghezzal and Rony Lopes gave them a 3-1 home win against 10-man Metz.