The disturbing failure of FC Bayern

In a completely crazy first half, FC Bayern is presented in phases by VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga. Coach Julian Nagelsmann takes the blame, Joshua Kimmich counts the team. Do you have to worry about the record champions?

Goals are something special at VfL Bochum. Not only because they fall much less frequently than with most other Bundesliga clubs, but above all because their development into an art form is often close to exaggeration.

Milos Pantovic, for example, likes to nail the ball from 50 meters or more onto the opponent’s box. For a change, he can also do it with wonderful lobs. Gerrit Holtmann tends to do things with speed and dribbling.

Against FSV Mainz 05 he enjoyed his work so much at the beginning of the season that he fumbled half the team on half the pitch to then complete the game with ease. They actually say about Holtmann at VfL that he would like to be a little more effective.

Wild speed frenzy of VfL Bochum against FC Bayern

How effective this Holtmann can be when he really stokes the embers was shown to FC Bayern on Saturday afternoon. In a wild frenzy of speed, the promoted team thundered over the, well, completely overwhelmed record champions in the first half.

After 45 minutes a 4:1 (final score 4:2) actually lit up on the scoreboard. That is doubly important.

Because at the beginning of this phenomenal football game, the power went out. No Pilsken for the fans, no Bratwurst. And no Herbert. The stadium speakers were silent. So does Grönemeyer. No “Bochum” for Bochum. Outside of the blue and white cosmos, it’s probably very difficult to make people understand what kind of drama this actually is.

Historically weak half of FC Bayern

And then, of course, there was the impact of the result. At least four goals for FC Bayern in one half, the last time Eintracht Frankfurt caused it in the 1975/76 season (there were even five). At that time, Franz Beckenbauer, “Katsche” Schwarzenbeck, “Bulle” Roth and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were on the field for the Munich team. That was 46 and a half years ago. You can definitely see the historical dimension of this Saturday afternoon.

It had gotten off to a bad start for Bochum not only because of the massive power outage in the Grumme district, but also because of Robert Lewandowski (by the way, he made it 2-4 in the 75th minute). The FC Bayern striker pushed the ball over the goal line from close range after nine minutes and a layoff by Kingsley Coman, on which Michael Esser was standing this time. He replaced regular goalkeeper Manuel Riemann, who had tested positive for the corona virus.

Munich could not fall back on their number one either, captain Manuel Neuer was absent due to knee surgery. Sven Ulreich took over for him. A little fun fact: the two goalkeepers of the record champions apparently earn more than the entire VfL squad (tweeted by Christoph Biermann).

Worst performance of the season by FC Bayern

Now you can deal with Ulreich’s personal details very quickly. And absolve him of all guilt. Unlike the people in front of him in the back four set up by coach Julian Nagelsmann, which – small spoiler – was a fatal tactical error. The idea of ​​controlling the tempo of Bochum’s wingers didn’t work at all. The Bayern manager, whose face was rarely seen so pale, admitted that he should have reacted earlier. “That was grits,” he said. A point of view. A thoroughly laudable one. Joshua Kimmich, the Bayern driver, saw things differently. It wasn’t about tactics. But about mentality.

Actually, a topic that is at home with the desperate pursuer(s) from Dortmund, who (that) always particularly dwarfs the record champions. “That was our worst performance of the season throughout the game,” cursed Kimmich on Sky. “We missed all the virtues. This isn’t the first time this season has happened to us.”

An unmistakable reminder of the surreal 0:5 in Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup. Everyone has to ask themselves “whether that’s the mentality that FC Bayern wants to embody.” Nagelsmann heard about it later – and thought it was good. It’s good that this form of criticism came from the team.

A pack with an announcement

She got this wild costume from the newly inflamed climber, who had previously scored more goals against Munich (in the legendary 5: 6 bankruptcy after a 4: 0 lead), with an announcement. Even the last training session on Friday, Nagelsmann admitted, was really bad. Without tension. An overnight energy booster? No, the lethargy was preserved. An energy boost thanks to Lewandowski? No, in the short-circuited Ruhrstadion, FC Bayern surrendered to the circumstances with a disturbing performance. It was a collective failure from the defense until shortly before Lewandowski. Only the striker and Ulreich played in serious condition. But the rest? Sluggish, error-prone. The spaces behind the aggressively pressing players in floodlight blue were rarely seen and played even more rarely. The Bochumers were different, they had charged their batteries to the max. Only five minutes after the 0:1 VfL countered the way they like to do. Holtmann hung up perfectly for Christopher Antwi-Adjej in the center from the left, who wobbled out Niklas Süle – the thing inside.

Süle of all people, who will be working for BVB in the Bochum area, in Dortmund, and about whom so many nice and less nice words had been exchanged in the past few weeks. But the defender was not talked about, the record champions have been a constant topic in all chat groups for weeks on many levels. From the grueling vaccination issue, to the corona chaos, Erling Haaland, allegedly unfulfilled wish transfers in winter to club boss Oliver Kahn. There is no longer any peace in this club. Such a braking to mowing character like Uli Hoeneß is missing. One who directs the focus. Sometimes on yourself. Sometimes with bizarre attacks.

Wild revenge for the first leg

Back to sport: In the first leg, the blue and whites collapsed completely after ten strong minutes. With 0:7 they were badly beaten up. No record champion mercy for the freshman. As painful as this result was, VfL had changed so much. A turning point. Coach Thomas Reis adjusted the system, and from then on his team played more aggressively, more compactly and faster. more successful. Will this game change anything again? With 28 points now, VfL is more than splendid. Even if the relegation zone is only six points away. With this good feeling – and perhaps also with a wild desire for revenge – suddenly there were no more rabbits in the queue. But a predator that robbed the greedy Bundesliga reptile of any feeling of superiority.

And what then happened between the 38th and 44th minute was at least absurd. Rather surreal. First penalty for the hosts, the very weak Dayot Upamecano had his hand in the wrong place. Newcomer Jürgen Locadia started and scored with conviction. The overture for the cultivated madness “anne Castroper”. Goals as works of art. Interpreted as a Ruhrpottedition of the legendary Catalan Tiki-Taka. Right-back Christian Gamboa first tunneled through Kingsley Coman, received the ball with a heel from Patrick Osterhage and slammed the ball into the far corner just behind the edge of the penalty area. Goals are something special at VfL. But what’s a party without Holtmann? Shot with the weak right, Schlenzer also in the corner. The stadium? tremor 8500 fans beside themselves. Can escalation be increased?

A second knockout is out of the question

Nothing has happened for FC Bayern for the time being. Not in the table. In the best case, the gap to BVB, who are always stumbling, remains at nine points. That would happen if Dortmund lost at Union Berlin on Sunday. In the worst case, the cushion shrinks to six points. No reason to panic, but to be concerned. Next week we’re up against RB Salzburg in the round of 16 in the Champions League, another team that has very fast attacking players. The Munich team, who have often been very offensive recently, with four midfielders and hardly any protection, are threatened with an open knife. But a knockout is out of the question. After the cup embarrassment in round two, there is no longer any room for maneuver in Munich’s title ambitions.

“We have to be careful,” warns Kimmich. “It has to do with the way we approach the game. We’re even 1-0 up and get four goals in 20, 25 minutes.” And their artful perfection is anything but the symbiosis of quality and coincidence, as Holtmann explains in the closing speech. “When you see the goals we score in training, it’s nice that it’s going to be the same in the game.”

At the end, Herbert also sang, “…double pass, every opponent wet, you and your VAUEFEL!”

Tobias Nordmann