The Bundesliga game against BVB was wild because the record champions did not have the events under control. Still, Bayern won. There were good reasons for that.
Leipzig fires the coach, Dortmund struggles with the referee, BVB player Bellingham is reported and Gladbach conceded a historic bankruptcy with five goals conceded for the first time after just 25 minutes: In the Bundesliga, things are going as high as they have been for a long time. In particular, three actual top clubs are now under huge pressure. Two of them are about the trainer. And two of them are already playing in the Champions League again: Dortmund against Besiktas Istanbul (from 9 p.m. in the live ticker at t-online) and RB Leipzig against Manchester City (from 6.45 p.m. in the live ticker at t-online).
Bavaria actually gets that under control
Borussia Dortmund: The top game against Bayern (2: 3) was an entertaining, fast-paced game with an open eye. And it was wild. This is actually something that FC Bayern is getting under control – this time it didn’t succeed. Also because both teams have deficits in defense and at the same time are extremely strong offensive.
Was it the referee’s fault, as the Dortmunders say? No of course not. Referee Felix Zwayer was ultimately correct in the critical scenes. Even the accusation that he should have looked at a foul by Bayern’s Lucas Hernández on Marco Reus in the penalty area is wrong, because striker Erling Haaland was already offside.
BVB players are their own fault
And it was certainly not due to a Bayern bonus, because it wasn’t in this game – nor at any time. It is only used as a diversionary maneuver.
Instead, the players themselves are to blame for the defeat. If Mats Hummels had cleared up the crucial scenes better, BVB would not have lost the game. He missed what actually sets him apart: eye and quick action.
Yes, Hummels’ best days are over
Both the former Bundesliga manager Dieter Hoeneß (“You have to say that Mats’ best time is over”) and the former Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (“It is known that Mats has problems when he goes into running duels must – this is due to the age “) Hummels then criticized.
Is Hummels’ best time over? Probably yes. He is 32 years old and won his biggest titles a few years ago, for example the 2014 world champion. And of course he is not the fastest either. But I think he still has a good time. Due to his lack of tempo, BVB may no longer be allowed to use him in the center of a three-man chain in possession of the ball – but he can still play on the half-left for a few years.
BVB needs tougher competition
I’ve seen other defenders like Marin Pongračić much weaker in the past few weeks anyway. Dortmund certainly has to strengthen itself here in order to have better alternatives and thus tougher competition.
In addition to Hummels, midfielder Jude Bellingham, who is only 18 years old, is currently in focus after his statement about referee Zwayer, which read: “You are giving a referee who has already postponed games the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?” The control committee of the DFB has initiated an investigation.
I’m more at Watzke’s
BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke jumped to his side and said: “Jude did not offend anyone, he described a fact.” As expected, Bayern’s CEO Oliver Kahn saw things differently: “Of course that’s going a step too far. A huge step.”
I think: If Bellingham were Bayern players, we would have got the same statements from Kahn and Watzke – just with different roles.
So I’m more at Watzke. Those responsible should tell Bellingham that a ban or punishment would go too far in my opinion.
Was the change of coach too late?
RB Leipzig: The end in the Champions League and eleventh place after 14 Bundesliga match days were too little for coach Jesse Marsch – RB put his coach on the street from the home office and the Corona quarantine. It was certainly right not to wait until spring, because then the goals might no longer be achievable. The question, however, is whether the decision was made too late.
Club boss Oliver Mintzlaff said in the “one-two” at Sport 1 that after the seventh match day, Marsch had already reported doubts to the club management as to whether it would work with him and the team. As an association, on the one hand, of course, you hope that those involved will still find each other. On the other hand, after such a sign, you may have to observe the situation and make a decision immediately.
Marsch’s body language didn’t match
Mintzlaff’s statement fits my observation. I recently missed this one hundred percent conviction in Marsch’s body language that the crisis would be under control. In retrospect, it’s only logical: he just didn’t have her. Of course, the players also have to question themselves who have not performed as well as it needs in the past few weeks.
Now various questions pop up. Shouldn’t Leipzig have let coach Julian Nagelsmann go in the summer? Or keep the captain Marcel Sabitzer, or shouldn’t you cut yourself off from the former sports director Ralf Rangnick? I say: this is all hypothetical and will not get anyone any further. At some point every path continues somewhere else.
Star coaches will stay in England
Nagelsmann and Sabitzer are just like the former defense chief Dayot Upamecano with Bayern. Rangnick is the next German top coach who, with Manchester United, is allowed to train an absolute top club in the Premier League. Just like his colleagues Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea and Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool.
I assume that the Bundesliga no longer needs to worry about these coaches anyway. You have completely different options in England. On the one hand financially. On the other hand, as managers, you have much greater decision-making power than in Germany. You can decide on player transfers yourself instead of waiting for a “go” from a sports director.
Leipzig now has to look ahead
In order for the Bundesliga to be attractive to them again at some point, the clubs must grant them similar competencies. And that is exactly what the clubs will not do as they are set up. In particular, FC Bayern or Borussia Dortmund. In any case, there would still be the issue of money. Which in total probably means: Neither Rangnick nor Klopp or Tuchel will ever return to the Bundesliga as a coach. There is probably only one job that could be of interest to her at some point: that of the national coach, which will, however, be occupied by Hansi Flick for years to come.
For Leipzig, this only means that it is now much more important to learn from the mistakes of the past and to look ahead – instead of dealing with Rangnick or other topics that you can no longer change anyway.
The greatest danger to Leipzig
Especially since there is a great danger. It is probably the greatest for Leipzig that one or the other player thinks: “Aha. I can’t win a title with Leipzig and play at the top. Then I’d rather look around for another club.” I’m thinking of Christopher Nkunku, for example, who is playing an outstanding season and is extremely interesting for the top European clubs.
The selection of the new coach is all the more important. In the past few days, Eindhoven’s Roger Schmidt and Dortmund’s technical director Edin Terzić have already been traded. Both would fit very well, Schmidt maybe a little better. However, he is said to have already canceled.
Players should apologize
Borussia Monchengladbach: First the 1: 4 in the derby against 1. FC Köln, now the 0: 6 against SC Freiburg. My former club Gladbach can of course not continue like this and now has to turn every stone. While Leipzig broke up with the coach, Borussia took the opposite path. Sports director Max Eberl has committed to Adi Hütter. And from my point of view it is absolutely correct.
Hütter cost 7.5 million euros transfer fee, Eberl was and is possibly also completely convinced that it would work. He is closest and can judge that best. Especially since Hütter recently apologized to the fans for the performance. So should the players. And then see that they score points in the next few games.
The ailing clubs Gladbach and Leipzig will meet next Saturday. Anyone who then has to apologize for their performance has a huge problem, that’s for sure. However, this also applies to BVB if it falls behind Bayern. With currently four points the championship is still possible, with seven points it would be decided in favor of Bavaria.
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