Bayern Munich moved on to the Round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal in an ultimately comfortable 6-1 victory over 1. FC Magdeburg. The newly promoted 2. Bundesliga team did give it a go for a while, though, not only scoring a shock equalizer not long after Bayern had opened the scoring, but also hitting the woodwork just before half-time—missing tying the game at 2-2 by a hair.
Bayern’s defensive approach of defending 1v1 in a high line has long been criticized, and the Bavarians’ middling defensive record
so far this season will have done little to assuage the critics. Whether it is a legitimate approach is one question, but how do the defenders feel when taking on such a difficult task? Bayern legend Bastian Schweinsteiger spoke with center-back Jonathan Tah about the approach after the match.
“You often find yourself defending 1v1 at the back,” Bayern’s former #31 asked Tah (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “Do you ever think it would be nice to have an extra defensive midfielder to cover, or do you relish those 1v1 situations and enjoy defending that way?”
“Generally speaking, that’s our style of play,” Tah replied. “We press high and, most of all, defend 1v1. As a defender, that sometimes means you have large spaces to cover. But, of course, the aim is that once you get into your own half, you can provide better cover for one another and avoid constantly finding yourself in 1v1 situations.”
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