It sparkled just a little bit – the star of the south. Especially because Harry Kane can be relied on, as is almost always the case in the Bundesliga. Otherwise, FC Bayern Munich’s performance in the narrow 2-1 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt was not at all like a premier class performance. But that has to be Bayern’s performance if they meet Real Madrid in the semi-final first leg on Tuesday evening in the arena, which is once again traditionally sold out with 75,000 spectators, and want to annoy the royal team (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on Prime Video) .
Home win against Eintracht because Kane struck twice (9th and 61st minute) and Eintracht only managed to achieve a successful result thanks to Hugo Ekitiké (23rd). “Bayern were very sharp today,” said Eintracht coach Dino Toppmöller after a “deserved win. Bayern were too confident on the ball. We had a good spirit on the pitch,” praised the Frankfurt football teacher, who was an assistant coach at Bayern last season.
After the narrow victory, Munich coach Tuchel said “it wasn’t that easy for us. The game on Tuesday already played a role. We wanted to put in a serious performance because we knew how quickly and strongly Eintracht countered.” But good for Tuchel and his Bayern: “We only allowed a little. A win is the best preparation for the game against Madrid.” FC Bayern have already completed their qualification for the Champions League again with a 2-1 win against Eintracht.
There were no doubts about returning to the premier class anyway. Toppmöller’s troupe is headed to Europe in general. Because the competition from Freiburg and Augsburg also lost, Eintracht’s situation three rounds before the end is even better than before. “In fact, the situation has improved,” said Toppmöller. “The results went our way to some extent.”
A strong piece of football
That’s how to do it. It was a strong piece of football as Konrad Laimer paved his way through the Frankfurt ranks in the ninth minute with a lot of heart and even more will. In the end it was four Eintracht professionals who didn’t know how to stop the Austrian. The result: the deserved 1-0 for Bayern, which was not scored by foreman Laimer, but by executor Harry Kane. Laimer, who later had to be substituted in the 28th minute due to a capsule and ankle injury, unselfishly served the free-standing and better-positioned Englishman after his storm run, who slotted past Kevin Trapp unchallenged.
Bayern in front – that’s how the Munich team imagined it would be a few days before the classic against the Royals. The semi-final in the Champions League against Real Madrid may be the far more important game. The game for points against Eintracht was supposed to be won first, so to speak, as a warm-up to the Champions League clash. That’s what it looked like in the initial phase, which was dominated by Bayern. There wasn’t much missing, and Eric Dier even made it 2-0 with his header from a free kick from Raphael Guerreiro. But the ball went past the Frankfurt goal on the right (22′). Missed a goal, conceded a goal: things suddenly happened very quickly in the direct counterattack. And because Bayern failed to significantly disrupt Hugo Ekitiké’s solo performance, the Frenchman struck. 1-1 with a well-placed shot from 18 meters – Manuel Neuer had no chance in the Bayern goal.
Trapp prevents anything worse from happening
The 1-1 score may have come as a bit of a surprise, but it was definitely deserved. Bayern kept letting Frankfurt have their way. Nevertheless, they were willing to continue their successful hunt for goals. But both Thomas Müller (26th) and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (30th) failed due to the attentive trap. The courageous Eintracht were unlucky when referee Daniel Schlager failed to whistle after a clear foul on Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe. A possible free kick directly on the edge of the penalty area could have caused danger (36th).
Two minutes before the end of regular time in the first half, Ansgar Knauff suddenly appeared in Bayern’s penalty area. But his shot was just a shot and no problem for Neuer. Shortly afterwards, after preparatory work by Müller, Guerreiro gave Munich the lead again. It was just far too casual how the Bayern attacker mishandled it. It was surprising that the ball landed on the left post, but it didn’t change the result (45′).
Keyword correction: Referee Schlager needed the help of the video assistant in the Cologne basement after the break in order to decide on a penalty kick. Eintracht defense chief Robin Koch checked Müller with his elbow in the penalty area. After studying the pictures, the penalty decision was just a formality – and that was it for Kane, who increased the score to 2-1 with his number two goal (61′). It was one thing that nothing decisive happened until the end of the five-minute stoppage time and that Bayern were able to celebrate a success in the “work victory” category.
There was great anger on the Frankfurt side about the penalty decision. “That was very questionable,” said sports director Timmo Hardung. And sports director Markus Krösche added in the catacombs of the arena: “All 50:50 decisions this season went against us. “That’s not possible,” said the Frankfurt manager. “We could have gone home with a point here today.” But nothing came of that against “sharp Bayern”.
