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FC Bayern win spectacularly in Wolfsburg: quality + problems = great entertainment

2023-02-05T19:43:11.383Z


Outnumbered, almost lost a 3-0 lead - and yet a well-deserved win: FC Bayern's away game in Wolfsburg was turbulent. Jamal Musiala and Thomas Müller set records.


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Substitute striker, goalscorer, captain, record field player: Thomas Müller helped lead FC Bayern through a difficult game

Photo: Axel Heimken / dpa

The saving whistle:

FC Bayern wobbled again.

80 minutes had been played in Wolfsburg, the comfort of the early 3-0 lead had long since given way.

Outnumbered, Julian Nagelsmann’s team defended the courageous host – then Ridle Baku fell in the Bayern penalty area.

The Wolfsburg protested, but only briefly, because the attack continued: Yannick Gerhardt threw the ball into the goal, 3:4.

Was there anything else?

No, because Harm Osmers had been careful: Leon Goretzka had not fouled Baku in advance, the Wolfsburg player had caused the collision.

It was called a foul on the strike instead of a goal, Bayern managed to avoid one last twist in a wild football game.

The result:

FC Bayern Munich wins 4:2 (3:1) at VfL Wolfsburg, so the record champions take back the championship lead from Union Berlin.

Here is the match report.

The King Lives:

Kingsley Coman is a phenomenon.

At the age of 26, the Frenchman has already won ten national championship titles in three countries and decided a Champions League final.

Nevertheless, Coman is rarely a regular player at Bayern, and even more rarely a top performer.

The King, as Coman is called in Munich, is fit and in shape perhaps the best winger in the league.

Both factors came together against VfL: A cross slipped into the far corner (9th minute) and a wonderful direct acceptance after a cross from João Cancelo (14th) mean Coman's first Bundesliga brace in four years.

Munich or Berlin, the main thing is defeat:

Because Thomas Müller, who was standing in for striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, who was missing due to a gastrointestinal infection, then headed into the goal, VfL were almost hopelessly behind after just 19 minutes.

A satisfaction for Bayern, as ex-coach Niko Kovac had teased during the week: "It's currently easier to play in Munich than in Berlin," said the current Wolfsburg coach before the cup game against Union.

That was lost 1:2, but apparently it wasn't enough for Bayern even with home advantage.

Müller in step:

Goalscorer Müller appeared for FC Bayern for the 427th time in the Bundesliga, so the 33-year-old drew level with his namesake Gerd, who died in 2021.

Only goalkeepers Oliver Kahn (429) and Sepp Maier (473) have played more often for FCB in their careers, while the Müllers share the top spot among outfield players.

Frustration in French:

Still: Kovac reacted early to the disaster that his team experienced at the beginning and he reacted correctly.

With the removal of Maxence Lacroix, Kovac broke the back three after just 30 minutes, and Marcin Kaminski, who had just come on, reduced the deficit to 1:3 before the break whistle (44').

Lacroix had definitely earned the dismantling, losing the header duel in front of Müller's goal.

The Frenchman didn't cope well with being substituted, instead trudging frustrated through the players' tunnel before veteran Josuha Guilavogui was able to calm his young compatriot.

The big tremor:

The Wolfsburg goal was logical, as Bayern had largely stopped the offensive after the 3-0 lead.

The weakened team, which, in addition to Choupo-Moting, also lacked regular defender Dayot Upamecano and Ryan Gravenberch, who recently played stronger, allowed the wolves to find their way back into the game.

Micky van de Ven (50') and Mattias Svanberg (52') approached the goal - and then Joshua Kimmich got his first Bundesliga dismissal after a tactical foul on Maximilian Arnold (54').

goalkeeper problem?

What goalkeeper problem?

Time for Yann Sommer to distinguish himself: The Swiss made a strong save against a Baku header (61'), shortly before the end a foot defense against Svanberg's deflected shot prevented the 3: 4 (90'+3').

It is possible that Sommer will remain number one on Säbener Straße: After captain Manuel Neuer made himself unpopular with the FCB management with pointed, public criticism of the resignation of his goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalović, a return to the Munich goal is also in the offing hard to imagine with a healed broken leg.

Three under 20:

Speaking of Bayern's future: Jamal Musiala's wonderful solo goal (73') not only gave the game a late highlight, it also ensured that the 19-year-old international now has ten goals to his credit - as a midfielder .

No other teenager has scored in double digits in Europe's top leagues this season.

Later on, 17-year-old Mathys Tel and Paul Wanner also came into play – in the tight Bundesliga title race, Nagelsmann evidently does not only trust the experienced.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2023-02-05

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