Die Folgen: Bayern’s 3-3 draw with Viking (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich traveled to Norway with one mission — get three points.
If the Bavarians could just do that, they could then quickly turn their focus to a massive Bundesliga tilt this weekend vs. RB Leipzig.
Easy enough against a Viking FK squad that had nowhere near the talent or depth, right?
Wrong.
The home side battled to a 3-3 draw with mighty Bayern Munich in one of the most shocking results for this Champions League season so far. Let’s dive into the details of this debacle — here are some quick
hitters on the match:
- As always, let’s begin with a look at the starting XI:
- As expected, there was some rotation. Lennart Karl stepped in for Ismael Saibari, Tom Bischof was on for Aleksandar Pavlović, Konrad Laimer started over Josip Stanišić, Kim Min-jae got the nod over Dayot Upamecano, Nathaniel Brown was selected over Alphonso Davies, and Jonas Urbig was in between the sticks. It was assumed that it would be a heavily rotated lineup, and that is exactly what happened.
- Bayern Munich put itself in an early hole once again as it gave up a goal off of a corner just over a minute into the match. Viking defender Gianni Stensness skied over Jonathan Tah and Kim Min-jae to get his head on the end of a corner from Zlatko Tripić to make it 1-0 in favor of the home side after just over a minute after the kick-off.
- Karl had a great look in the 6th minute, but sent his attempt off his left foot from the right side high-and-wide.
- Viking was using max effort at all times early on. It was fair to wonder if the players could keep up that level of energy and hustle for 90 minutes with the kind of intensity they played with.
- Bayern Munich did ramp up its intensity a bit and were creating chances, but nothing overly threatening went on frame. Those opportunities on goal were not very dangerous. That said, you could feel that Bayern Munich was eventually going to break through with all of the pressure.
- Tripić almost made it 2-0 as he schooled Bayern Munich’s center-backs, but an untimely slip prevented the score.
- Not to sound like a broken record, but one thing that made Lennart Karl so special was his off the ball movement. This season, that aspect of his game is missing.
- Bayern Munich had some moments, but just lacked precision and accuracy in the final third once again.
- In the 35th minute, Olise put a perfect cross on to the head of Kane for a play that results in a goal 99.9% of the time — just not this 0.01%. Kane’s header went right at Viking goalkeeper Arild Østbø, who snared it easily.
- A minute later, Urbig saved Bayern Munich’s bacon with a big stop.
- Then disaster struck. After some sustained possession, a Bayern Munich turnover turned quickly into a counterattack where Peter Christiansen sprung away from Nathaniel Brown on a long run. Erik Botheim’s pass was perfectly weighted and right to Christiansen.
- What a debacle of a play for Brown and the center-backs, who were MIA.
- Karl, Brown, and Tah, who were collectively brutal in the first half, were all replaced after the break. Ismael Saibari, Alphonso Davies, and Dayot Upamecano came on.
- Yes, it is officially time to get worried about Karl losing his way. His play does not resemble the same hungry energetic style he displayed last season. The Germany international looks complacent and a tad entitled.
- As for Brown, he has not been all that great this season, though it is fair to wonder if his busy season at Eintracht Frankfurt and big role at the World Cup have left him running on fumes.
- Tah just appeared to not really have that much jump in his step. Bayern Munich is a team that looks like it needs the Winterpause to arrive as soon as possible…and it’s mid-October. Yikes!
- Bayern Munich would catch a break after Viking got a little too brazen with its fouls and caught Konrad Laimer for a foul in the box. Harry Kane would put home the penalty attempt to make it 2-1 at the 54th-minute mark.
- Six minutes later, Joshua Kimmich sent in a beautiful cross that found Kane’s head, and the Englishman made sure to put this attempt away as well to knot the game at 2-2. It looked like Luis Díaz instantly made it 3-2 after Kane’s goal, but his bad luck streak continued, as he was whistled for an offside call.
- Finally, in the 71st minute, Kane propelled Bayern Munich to its third goal. Kane lofted a perfect diagonal cross to a cutting Laimer, who pushed the ball to Díaz for a goal that the Colombian desperately needed.
- It is hard to describe just how much of a mission Kane appeared to be on at this stage of the game. The Englishman was simply not going to let the team lose.
- Well, about that…
- Davies had a potentially horrific turnover in the 80th minute, but luckily Viking could not take advantage of it.
- Of course, Bayern Munich had to make things interesting as Michael Olise was sent off with a red card after picking up his second yellow card on a very selfish play, where he tossed the ball at Tripić and hit him in the face.
- That would eventually be a fatal blow for the Bavarians, who were spent and could not keep up with the desperate home side.
- In the final minute of regulation, Bayern Munich’s Laimer and Kane wer dispossessed (and maybe fouled) in their own end, which led to Tripić hitting Herman Johan Haugen with a perfect cross. The right-back rose up over Davies and headed the ball in to knot the game at 3-3, in one of the most dramatic Champions League finishes in a very long time.
- Laimer and Kane have to do better there. They just have to, despite all the grabbing, pulling, and pushing.
- Overall, Bayern Munich blew this game for several reasons — not being prepared, not being focused, not performing to the expected level, poor finishing, awful decision-making, and simply just not wanting it as much as Viking. Yes, it is still early, but the problem that Bayern Munich is having seems to be snowballing rather than being fixed. All of a sudden, that RB Leipzig match means a whole lot.
If you missed out Initial Analysis, Recap, Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast, give them a look or a listen:
Bayern still likes Koundé (Sport Bild’s Christian Falk)
Bayern Munich still likes FC Barcelona right-back Jules Koundé per this report, but there is competition for him, and he is also likely to cost a lot:
✅ It is TRUE: Jules Koundé is on the list at Bayern Munich. Like Vušković, the Frenchman is on a list. There was always contact with his camp, but no concrete offer last summer. They know that Bayern Munich are interested in him. Koundé was really concrete a few years ago. If he’s on the market, he can become concrete quickly once again, as Bayern are still searching for right-backs. In my view, Givairo Read is still ahead on this list. As everyone knows, Bayern Munich have to sell some players. Sacha Boey’s salary is still on the wage bill, and Bayern have tried very hard to part ways with him. He has no chance to play and is rarely part of the matchday squad, so they will try once again to sell him in the winter. If they’re successful in this mission, FC Bayern will be in the market for a new right-back. Bayern Munich have shared signs with right-backs and their agents that they’re still in the hunt for a new fullback and that these linked players are still on the list. That’s why we’re seeing fresh rumours around players like Jules Koundé.
Surely, Koundé is a name Bayern Munich will continue to watch, but it is not a transfer that many would deem as likely.
LFC eyeing Tzolakis (ESPN)
Liverpool is reportedly keeping an eye on Hull City goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, but might have to outduel Tottenham Hotspur to get him:
Liverpool see Hull City goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis as a potential long-term successor to Alisson Becker, The Sun reports. Tzolakis, 23, has been a standout in the Premier League this season, and Hull are expected to enter talks next month with several suitors keeping tabs on his situation. Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with interest in his signature, with recent reports indicating that his transfer would be valued at £40 million.
BVB eyeing Philadelphia star (Sky Germany’s Patrick Berger)
Borussia Dortmund is reportedly keeping a close eye on Philadelphia Union striker Malik Jakupović:
🚨⚫️🟡 #BVB has been interested in Malik Jakupović (17/🇺🇸) for quite some time. In the summer, the Dortmund side even submitted offers worth €2-3m for the striker talent, but Philadelphia Union turned them down.
Most recently, BVB scouts observed the 1.91-meter player in Marbella. Contact continues to exist. But: Major competition. Chelsea, Salzburg, and Stuttgart are also in the mix. Eintracht in the past as well.
Philadelphia is demanding a transfer fee in the high two-digit million range. @SchreinerFabian @SkySportDE
Real wants to re-up Bellingham, bring in another midfielder (ESPN)
Real Madrid wants to re-up England star Jude Bellingham as it attempts to solidify the future of its midfield:
Real Madrid are exploring the transfer market for a midfielder as they also prepare to enter contract talks with Jude Bellingham, according to Fabrizio Romano. Madrid are keen to find a midfield anchor after missing out on Rodri following his switch to Barcelona in the summer, but they are first prioritising signing their core players to new deals, with hopes of signing Bellingham, 23, to a two-year extension that will secure his future at the club until the summer of 2031.
Bakayoko in trouble? (Sky Germany’s Philipp Hinze)
Johan Bakayoko seems to be in some hot water at RB Leipzig:
🔴 Johan Bakayoko has already been missing from the RB squad this season for sporting reasons and most recently also for disciplinary ones. Expected to be back for the Eindhoven match. Both sides dissatisfied with the current situation. Breakthrough? They still hope/believe… If nothing changes, the Belgian is a candidate to leave in winter. Contract until 2030, joined last year for €18m + €4m.
@SkySportDE
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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