This is how it’s fun: Munich’s Dayot Upamecano (l.) and teammate Harry Kane after the opening goal
Photo: dpa/Bernd Thissen
As the three-time goalscorer Harry Kane Afterwards, with the match ball in his hand, he happily took a selfie and the FC Bayern team jumped exuberantly in front of their own fans to the beat of the triumphal songs, the world of Munich seemed to be in order again. Three days after the embarrassing exit from the DFB Cup with a 2-1 defeat at third division club 1. FC Saarbrücken, Bayern put on a 4-0 (2-0) show of strength at Borussia Dortmund and continued their winning streak in the German classic continued. They have won ten of the last eleven comparisons against BVB, interrupted only by a draw.
But above all, this time it was a class difference with which the Munich team swept over the Dortmund team and calmed down the sporting debates for the time being after their missed chance to win the cup. We know what the “soundscape is like at Bayern,” said coach Thomas Tuchel on Saturday evening in a flashback to Wednesday, “we have to live with the scar now. But there is also life after the cup exit, and the reaction was absolutely great.
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However, with his further appearances in the interviews on Sky before and after the game as well as at the beginning of the press conference, Tuchel caused new discussions. He repeatedly worked through the latest criticism from Sky experts Lothar Matthäus and Dietmar Hamann. He also referred to a report from Sport1 in which there was talk of rifts between him and the team. Tuchel said with biting irony: “For a team without further development and with a poor internal relationship between players and coach, things looked okay.”
Tuchel appeared remarkably thin-skinned. But his players appeared very confident and very focused in Dortmund. It was probably her best performance of the season. The early lead thanks to Dayot Upamecano’s header after Leroy Sané’s corner (4th) contributed to this. Shortly afterwards, Kane completed a counterattack to make it 2-0, which felt like it was already decisive, even though it was only the ninth minute. The 30-year-old center forward later scored 3-0 (72′) and 4-0 (90’+3).
The Englishman now has 15 league goals after ten matchdays, and Bayern have already accumulated a total of 38 goals in the Bundesliga. There are two records at this point that, extrapolated to the entire season, would lead to 51 (Kane) and 129 goals (total). This would pulverize the previous Bundesliga records of 41 goals (Robert Lewandowski at FC Bayern in the 2020/21 season) and a total of 101 goals (FC Bayern in the 1971/72 season). On Wednesday, Tuchel’s team can also qualify early for the round of 16 in the Champions League with a win against Galatasaray Istanbul after four of six group games. And in the Bundesliga they remain two points behind leaders Leverkusen.
The supposed crisis that seemed to be brewing after the embarrassment in the cup? It was no longer noticeable after the best performance in Dortmund, even though the Munich team had weakened personnel and started with the ailing Upamecano (after a muscle injury), Leon Goretzka (broken hand) and Noussair Mazraouzi (cold). Goretzka later said proudly after he had moved from midfield to central defense after Upamecano’s substitution. “We have made an exclamation mark that we are there and can play big games when it matters,” said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
Dortmund were left extremely disappointed and at a loss after not losing in 17 Bundesliga games. But now coach Edin Terzic had to realize: “We were the worse team in all areas.” Before the game, he had hopefully commissioned the next step in development. Instead, he had seen a step backwards – or simply a further confirmation of the balance of economic power.
Meanwhile, Tuchel made further criticisms against the critics. He said: “We’ve heard a lot of things that are supposedly wrong with us. It can’t be that bad.” When Matthäus joined in next to him, Tuchel said: “I don’t want to get into the discussion. When I’m through, I want to leave.” Then he broke off the interview: “We won 4-0, now you have to do a 180 degree turn. Have fun.” Tuchel hadn’t calmed down all the debates. Nor do those internally at FC Bayern about the coach’s external image.
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