Bayer Leverkusen let FC Bayern outclass in a historic first half. After the final whistle of the top game, a Leverkusen player attacked the team. His allegations are fierce.
Julian Nagelsmann had only just sat down when the FC Bayern coach jumped up jubilantly for the first time. After just three minutes, Robert Lewandowski had taken the German record champions in the top Bundesliga game at Bayer Leverkusen after a free kick by Joshua Kimmich with a heel in the lead.
It was the first shot on goal of the game and Bayern’s earliest goal of the season. And only the beginning on this historic Sunday afternoon: Munich won 5: 1 (5: 0) and remain leaders. Many football fans had hoped for an exciting, even game. In fact, it was a very clear issue, a show of force by Bavaria.
Totally frustrated, Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky leaves the pitch after the 1: 5 against FC Bayern – and then criticizes his team in an interview
Source: AP / Martin Meissner
“What a fantastic first half. That was a brilliant team performance, ”wrote Bayern’s offensive star Thomas Müller on social media.
The Leverkusen were self-critical after the final whistle. “Everyone has to look in the mirror and wonder if they have worked enough for the team today. We didn’t deserve the atmosphere and the full stadium, ”said Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. The first goal and the seven minutes thereafter “destroyed” the team, said the goalkeeper.
“We want ourselves to be able to hold our own against top teams,” said Leverkusen’s coach Gerardo Seoane before the game. But his team hardly succeeded in doing anything.
Leverkusen applies the 2G regulation: Only those who have been vaccinated or recovered are allowed to play at home. Children and young people as well as pregnant women and fans with a medical certificate are excluded from this rule. The 29,542 Spectators in the almost full stadium saw a game that was decided after just over half an hour. “In the beginning we slept. That shouldn’t happen to us against such a team, ”said Leverkusen’s defender Jonathan Tah.
Lewandowski hits twice
Lewandowski scored for the second time in the 30th minute – his ninth goal of the season. World champion Thomas Müller directed a shot from his colleague Niklas Süle to make it 3-0 into the net (34th), it was his 132nd Bundesliga goal. Now Leverkusen fell apart completely. Just 17 seconds after the restart, Serge Gnabry scored 4-0 after Müller’s presentation, two minutes later after a one-two with Leon Goretzka to 5-0. “We still had the chance to score the sixth, seventh or eighth goal in the first half,” said Nagelsmann.
Leverkusen had never been so far behind in the league after the first half of the game, and the Munich team had never led away in the league by five goals at the break. “There are no words for it. We have to make sure that it doesn’t get any worse now, ”said Leverkusen’s former international striker Stefan Kießling, assistant to sports director Rudi Völler, at half-time.
The players in the Bayer starting line-up were on average 23.8 years old in the Bundesliga there was no younger starting formation this season. She was overwhelmed with the strong Bayern players, especially on the defensive. “We weren’t up to par, especially in the first half. They showed us why they are the best team in Germany, ”said Bayer coach Gerardo Seoane.
Bayer tried to limit the damage in the second half, but Kerem Demirbay failed because of national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (53rd). Two minutes later, Patrik Schick scored the consolation goal from Leverkusen after submission by the young star Florian Wirtz. In the final phase, Bayern spared themselves for their upcoming tasks, Nagelsmann replaced Lewandowski half an hour before the final whistle and brought Jamal Musiala into the game.
On Tuesday, Munich will travel to Lisbon, where they will compete in their third group game of the Champions League at Benfica on Wednesday (9 p.m., DAZN). Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic is apparently working on a major transfer before this game.
He could soon sign one of the most promising young stars in Europe: Bayern are probably negotiating Karim Adeyemi’s move from RB Salzburg to Munich. And competes for the striker with Borussia Dortmund. The adviser to the 19-year-old attacker was on Saturday with Adeyemi’s father Abbey for talks with FC Bayern at the club’s premises on Säbener Strasse. Sky posted a photo of the two in front of the club’s office.
Adeyemi transfer could be expensive
Adeyemi became a national player in September, the new national coach Hans-Dieter “Hansi” Flick had him play three times for Germany so far, Adeyemi scored one goal. In 2018, Salzburg signed the then 16-year-old for more than three million euros. His contract there is valid until June 30, 2024.
His long-time sponsor Manfred Schwabl reckons that Adeyemi will be “expensive” when it is likely to be available in the summer of 2022. The president of SpVgg Unterhaching, who describes himself as a “mentor in the background” at Adeyemi, estimated the transfer fee for the TV broadcaster BILD to be “upwards” at 30 million euros. He sees “no striker in Germany” who has a goal rank similar to Adeyemi.
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