Danced out: The Leipzig Christopher Nkunku leaves Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Bild: AP
The fast Leipzigers find Bayern’s weak points, score three goals and still don’t win. That could still have consequences: Munich may not be as vulnerable as in the top game.
An late Saturday evening, Hansi Flick was sitting in the media room of the Munich soccer arena and talking about the past. Last season, he said, his team was almost always able to defend with the same back four. Back then, mostly played, from right to left: Benjamin Pavard, Jérôme Boateng, David Alaba, Alphonso Davies. They were rarely played because they were so well rehearsed. In soccer German one would say: the vote was right. Flick wanted to emphasize that. And with that back to the present.
On the early Saturday evening, Flick, head coach of FC Bayern Munich, had to put together a back four for the top Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig, which was not yet occupied this season. Because left-backs Davies and Lucas Hernández were injured, he moved Alaba, who is actually his defense chief, to the side. The result, from right to left: Pavard, Boateng, Süle, Alaba. And more than 90 minutes later, Flick said in the media room: “The vote wasn’t quite as 100% as it should be.” An understatement.
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