Die Folgen: Bayern’s 3-0 win over Gladbach (Bavarian Football Works)
It was a wet and rainy day at Borussia Park and things were a bit sleepy to get started for Bayern Munich and Borussia Mönchengladbach as the Bavarians were late arriving to the match.
Maybe that should
have been an omen, but Bayern Munich would shake off some early doldrums to pick up a convincing 3-0 victory over Gladbach in the Bundesliga. Let’s break it all down, here are some quick hitters on the match:
- As always let’s begin with a look at the starting XI:
- Kompany went heavy on changes, including a move back to Nicolas Jackson at striker, which pushed Harry Kane to the No. 10 position. Otherwise, Jonas Urbig started in goal (as expected), while Leon Goretzka (central midfield), Sacha Boey (right-back), and Kim Min-jae (center-back) also returned to the starting XI. The big surprise was Tom Bischof getting the start at left-back. There were rumors that the team would experiment with ways to give him more playing time and this must be the plan. That pushed Konrad Laimer to the bench. In truth, Laimer probably needed a rest.
- While we have mostly been celebrating Kompany here for a while, a mild critique is that he might be wearing down these wings. Michael Olise and Luis Díaz are racking up a ton of minutes and wear-and-tear. While both are in exceptional shape, it is a physically demanding position. Neither has been overly sharp for a spell, which sometimes can mean they are fatigued. Just something to watch.
- On the surface, this was gamble by Kompany. Jackson and Boey had not been great and Bischof was going to play extended minutes out of position.
- Within the first minute, Díaz made a sensational move to free himself up right in front of the net, but missed an absolute sitter. It should have been 1-0. Again, the only criticism you can levy at the Colombian is that his finishing has not been great. Some of the reason for that could be fatigue.
- For Gladbach, the game formally went from suck to blow in the 18th minute when a sloppy (and reckless challenge) from Jens Castrop on Díaz resulted in a red card. Facing Bayern Munich down a man is not necessarily the way anyone wants to face the Bavarians these days.
- Díaz, while displaying energy, was far less sharp than normal. It might be a good time to rest him in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday. Similarly, Olise just does not have the same jump in his step either (especially not paired with Laimer on the right side).
- Gladbach’s Haris Tabaković and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano knocked heads, which left Tabaković with a cut on his head. That could have been a lot worse.
- Jackson still does not look comfortable with his positioning or working with this group. That made it very difficult for the attack to operate when Gladbach packed all nine players into the final third. Jackson’s movement still leaves a lot to be desired.
- Bischof seemed like he had trouble getting into the flow of the game.
- With the latest start, the early red card, and the general sloppiness going, Bayern Munich appeared to its own worst enemy in the match at times. It was extremely difficult for the squad to get on the same page.
- It is time to start asking the question: “Are the minutes going to Jackson worth taking away time from Lennart Karl or Wisdom Mike?” This author does not think so…at all.
- Kane had a good look in the 42nd minute, but just did not get a good piece of the ball on his attempt. On another day, Kane buries that. At this point it was not time to hit the panic button, but it was time to assess if some subs would be needed after the half because this was not working against Gladbach’s compact and energetic defending. More movement was needed centrally.
- Urbig was confident in his decisions, which was a good sign after being out of action for so long.
- Kimmich had a good look in added time, but missed far wide. The players who have been tallying up big minutes did not lack energy, but all looked a little off. Kane, Olise, Kimmich, Díaz…it was not for a lack of effort, but maybe heavy legs were a factor in the shooting and passing woes.
- After halftime, Konrad Laimer and Raphaël Guerreiro checked in for Upamecano and Boey. Meanwhile, Goretzka dropped deeper into a defensive role. It was clear you did not need Upamecano in this game, so why not give him a rest? For Boey, he just does not flow well with Olise (as has been stated many times, the “Boey Experiment” needs to be over).
- The additions of Laimer and Guerreiro was definitely more for their guile and experience in facing this kind of defensive block. The moves made a lot of sense by Kompany.
- The moves paid immediate dividends as Bayern Munich ramped up pressure. Olise had two great looks early, but was felled by Moritz Nicolas (who seems to be the Next Gen Yann Sommer when playing against Bayern Munich).
- Serge Gnabry came on around the hour mark for Jackson, who was abysmal.
- It looked like Kane had finally broken through with a goal in the 62nd minute after some nice work from Goretzka and Díaz (terrific turn and pass). It was ruled offside on Kane, but that is what was missing with Jackson in the lineup. The subtle movement and quick explosion for a shot.
- About a minute later, Bayern Munich finally got on the scoreboard with a goal from Kimmich, who made up for his earlier miss.
- In the 69th minute, Bayern Munich fully unlocked itself as Olise slid a perfectly-placed central ball to Guerreiro, who deftly finished it for a 2-0 lead.
- In the 73rd minute, Bischof was called for a foul in the box and Gladbach was awarded a penalty. It was not a smart play from Bischof as the ball had no chance of getting to his mark. Ultimately, though, Kevin Stöger hit the post. It has been that kind of season for Die Fohlen.
- In the 80th minute, Karl did it…AGAIN! The kid is magic. Another wonder-goal from the wunderkind! What a week this youngster is having!
- Let’s say it again…any minutes going to Jackson are better served going to Karl.
- The kid almost did it again in the 85 minute with a darting diagonal run that resulted in a header (!?) where he just did not get a great piece of the ball. And he had another crack at it late that did not blaze very far over the bar, either.
- Overall, Bayern Munich got the job done. It was not always pretty and not all of the rotating worked, but Kompany eventually pushed the correct buttons to guide the team to a win. Take this one and run into the midweek DFB-Pokal match!
If you missed our Initial Analysis, Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast, give them a look or a listen:
More links to Pavlović for United (Stretty News)
There is yet another rumor linking Manchester United to a pursuit of Bayern’s Aleksandar Pavlović:
Manchester United are reportedly interested in young Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović as they look to replace Casemiro this summer.
The Brazilian veteran is currently running on an expiring contract, and despite his improved displays as of late, many believe this will be his final season at Old Trafford. Man Utd will take the opportunity to part ways with one of their highest earners and replace him with a younger and more energetic profile.
The Daily Briefing reveals another interesting candidate for the role in the shape of Pavlovic.
The 21-year-old is a youth product of Bayern Munich who went through every age group before reaching the first team in 2023. Pavlović had already been linked with Man United in the past, but the club never made concrete steps on this front.
Unless something drastic happens, it is start to fathom Pavlović thinking about leaving for Manchester United or Bayern Munich letting him go.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 5, Episode 13 (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich is steamrolling into the week and is scorching hot.
Hotter than hot.
Blazing hot.
However you want to put it, the Bavarians are riding high and playing better than they have at point since 2020. This has truly been a fun ride to watch, but it is far from over. In the midst of all of that, we have a ton of news going on and a lot of it (hell, all of it) is positive at this stage.
Let’s get into all of it here. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:
- After extending the deal of Vincent Kompany, is there a contract extension at Bayern Munich for Manuel Neuer? The process might be starting.
- Nick Woltemade could be looking at a long-term future at…Bayern Munich? Why the timing could actually work out for the Newcastle United star to return to Germany when the time is right.
- A listener Q&A segment
- Wrapping up HBO’s Task.
Adeyemi to get extension? (Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg)
Karim Adeyemi could be in line to get a nice contract extension with Borussia Dortmund:
🚨🆕 A few weeks ago, Jorge Mendes flew to Dortmund to speak with Sebastian Kehl about a contract extension for Karim #Adeyemi.
Kehl and Mendes have a very good relationship. Negotiations are ongoing, and #BVB are optimistic that Adeyemi will extend his contract beyond 2027. No final decision yet.
Juve to chase Škriniar? (ESPN)
Juventus could be looking to bring in Milan Škriniar to help bolster its backline:
A move for Fenerbahce and Slovakia international defender Milan Skriniar is being weighed up by Juventus, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The 30-year-old is reportedly one of the top names on the Bianconeri’s shortlist as they look to sign cover for starter Gleison Bremer, who is expected to be out for a considerable amount of time after suffering a torn meniscus in the Serie A match with Atalanta. It is said that they could also consider a deal for Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-Jae, 28, but his non-EU status would be a potential obstacle.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Edges and Underdogs, a BuLi Action Show: Match Day 8 (Bavarian Football Works)
Welcome to Bavarian Podcast Works — Edges and Underdogs, a BuLi Action Show!
This is not your run-of-the-mill gambling show as we are putting more focus on the ins-and-outs of the actual match day’s showdowns, rather than an odds-driven format (but yes, you will get the odds as well). This podcast is for people who watch the Bundesliga intently and who want to dive into some of the big games for each match day. Through that, we will also provide some information that could help those seeking to make a wager or two.
Each week, we will highlight three matches to talk through and break down who has the edge, who might be hurting, who is susceptible to being upset, who’s getting hot, and more! This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Edges and Underdogs, a BuLi Action Show:
- Catching up on how we did last week.
- A look at this weekend’s match-ups — including win probability, odds, injury updates, trends, AI predictions, and our predictions as well.
The bottom line…it’s time for some action.
Dreesen doesn’t want to see World Cup expansion (Welt am Sonntag via @iMiaSanMia)
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen does not want to see the World Cup field being expanded to a higher number.
“No, not in my opinion. For two reasons: We’ll have a four-week World Cup with 48 teams in 2026. It’s also about the quality of the sport. Allowing nations that don’t play a role on the world sporting stage only increases the quantity. But people only watch football when the quality is right – that’s my conviction,” said Dreesen.
Díaz just wants to win at Bayern (Bild via @iMiaSanMia)
Bayern Munich winger Luis Díaz likes to see his name on the scoresheet, but he likes to win even more.
“I’ll give my all to score lots of goals and assists. How many I’ll get is in God’s hands. But most of all, I want to win every competition with the team,” Díaz said.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show: Bayern Munich 4-0 Club Brugge (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich hosted Club Brugge in the Champions League and while the Belgian side was game, the Bavarians were just better.
A lot better.
Bayern Munich continued it excellent run of play and scored a 4-0 victory over Club Brugge in yet another strong performance.
Let’s dive into the details — this is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:
- A look at Bayern Munich’s starting XI selections…who stood out, who struggled, and more.
- A rundown of the scoring and substitutions as we walk through the flow of the match.
- Some final takeaways on the match and how things look moving forward.
Tah says he’s better now than when he was younger (Säbener 51 via @iMiaSanMia)
Bayern Munich center-back Jonathan Tah can take a look in the mirror and see a better player today than what he saw a few years ago.
“I was nowhere near where I am today. In my personality, in my willingness to step out of my comfort zone, to take on responsibility. Of course, I’ve also worked on myself as a player – constantly. But the most important thing is: I’ve learned what I can give a team, how I can help them. That also applies to how I interact with the guys on the pitch, how I communicate, and how I take on responsibility. I’ve found my role – I didn’t have that five years ago,” said Tah. “As with every position, there are different types of center-backs: ‘Warriors’, for example, fighters who thrive on their passion. Or the playmaking types who operate almost like a defensive midfielder, to name just two. Of course, there’s a lot in between, and not every player fits clearly into one type.
“The important thing is that you find your own style, your own role, over time. At FC Bayern, you have to operate at a certain level in every area. I see myself most strongly in the role of organizer within the defensive line, but also in front of it. I want to ensure that we provide the best possible defensive cover for our midfield and attack, while also supporting them offensively at all times. If we can have a significant influence on the attacking efforts from the back and initiate attacks, we can be even more dominant and increase our chances of winning.”
Bayern not pursuing Fernandes (Sport Bild’s Christian Falk)
As it turns out, Bayern Munich really might not have interest in Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (no…really?):
It is NOT TRUE: Bayern Munich have added Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes to their shortlist. He’s not on there. I think FC Bayern are being used in a little poker game, as the Portuguese international wants a new contract.
I asked one of the decision-makers at Bayern and they gave me a really big and clear “not true” on these rumours. Yes, he’s an interesting player, of course, but he’s not a young star anymore. Fernandes also has a big salary and it’s been clear for a while now that the Bundesliga champions want to reduce the wage bill.
So, there’s no chance for Bruno Fernandes at Bayern Munich at the moment.
