Talking points from European soccer

Talking points from the weekend in European soccer leagues:

BAYERN WOES LEAVE MANAGEMENT UNDER PRESSURE

Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic are bracing themselves for what could be a tough board meeting at the end of the month following a season that could finish without any silverware.

Bayern's 3-1 home loss to RB Leipzig on Saturday saw Borussia Dortmund take over the lead in the Bundesliga with a game left to play.

Coach Thomas Tuchel's arrival in late March following the sacking of Julian Nagelsman took Bayern fans by surprise and the move has completely backfired with the coach seeing his team crash out of the German Cup and the Champions League last eight.

With the team's 10-year Bundesliga dominance looking set to end next week after Borussia Dortmund went two points clear at the top, Tuchel is already under pressure while club bosses prepare to face turbulent times ahead.

PAYET LEFT AT HOME AS MARSEILLE SECOND-PLACE HOPES DASHED

Olympique de Marseille have been fighting tooth and nail to qualify for next season's Champions League but they will probably have to go through the third qualifying round to enter the group stage after a 2-1 defeat in Ligue 1 at Lille.

They travelled to northern France without Dimitri Payet and could be regretting it as the influence of the attacking midfielder was sorely missed, leaving OM five points behind second-placed RC Lens with two games left.

So why did Payet not travel to Lille?

"All the players who are ready to help the team, whether they start on the field or on the bench, are here. The others stayed in Marseille. That will be my only comment on the topic," said coach Igor Tudor, who has had a troubled relationship with one of the team's star players.

MILAN MIGHT NEED NEW CENTRE FORWARD SOON

AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud delivered an exceptional performance against Sampdoria on Saturday, showcasing his remarkable skills and scoring a hat-trick in the 5-1 win.

But there must be concerns for manager Stefano Pioli about how long the 36-year-old can keep performing at this level.

The club must also face the fact that their other prominent striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is 41, while Divock Origi has had a lacklustre season, scoring only twice in 35 matches.

However, despite these worries, Pioli has downplayed the immediate need to bring in a new centre-forward.

"The squad has solid foundations and the club has done very well to extend the contracts of the players who got us here. We must also remember that there is no such thing as a reserve player nowadays, you need everyone to contribute."

REAL SOCIEDAD END DROUGHT AT CAMP NOU

Barcelona were looking forward to their long-awaited title celebrations in front of their fans on Saturday but Real Sociedad, vying for a top-four spot, had not read the script.

The visitors had no time for partying, instead claiming their first win at Camp Nou in 32 years and putting themselves in pole position to play in the Champions League next year.

They are five points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal with three games remaining.

Their previous success at Barca dated all the way back to 1991, making their 2-1 victory even more notable.

Real Sociedad also halted a barren streak of 24 consecutive away league games at the stadium without a win, giving them a boost ahead of the final three matches of the campaign.