Bayern Munich maintained their five-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund following a 0-0 draw at Westfalenstadion.
A seventh win in eight league games would have lifted Dortmund to within two points of Bayern following the champions’ shock 2-1 defeat at home to Mainz in midweek.
But Pep Guardiola’s side rarely looked like losing again.
The visitors’ Arturo Vidal was closest to a winner when he hit the bar
It was not an epic ‘Der Klassiker’ but there was still plenty of quality on show.
Both sides struggled in front of goal, with Dortmund’s lively striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang twice being denied by Manuel Neuer.
Robert Lewandowski had a quiet night, with Bayern’s best openings falling to Thomas Muller, Douglas Costa, Arjen Robben and Vidal, whose close-range volley was superbly touched onto the bar by Roman Burki.
Guardiola’s side will be the happier of the two as they maintained the status quo at the top of the table with nine games to go.
A third league defeat of the season would have made it a nervy run-in to the end of the season and raised further question marks about Bayern’s ability to get the job done before Guardiola leaves to join Manchester City in the summer.
There was no doubt his side looked fully focused on their jobs at a passionate Westfalenstadion and, if anything, the more likely winners.
Bayern dominated the second half and have every chance of retaining their title in tandem with a challenge for the Champions League.
The home leg of their last-16 tie with Juventus, currently locked at 2-2, will be played later this month.
Guardiola dished out some tough love to Joshua Kimmich after he helped Bayern keep a clean sheet.
The 21-year-old midfielder was pressed into service as a central defender to cover for injuries and produced a top-class performance.
That didn’t stop Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to remonstrate at length with the seemingly bemused young man.
All ended well, though, with Guardiola dishing out hugs and praise.
The Bayern boss said: “He is passionate, he has absolutely everything.”
