Die Folgen: Bayern’s 2-1 win over BVB (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich’s games after an international break are always a bit…iffy, so it was no surprise to see a rough-and-tumble contest against Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.
The Bavarians looked fantastic in the first half and were totally dominant, but faded as time went on. Still, that was good enough for the squad to secure a 2-1 victory over archrival Borussia Dortmund in a pivotal Bundesliga match that showed the rest of Germany’s top flight, who was boss.
Let’s dive into the details, here are
some quick hitters on the match:
- As always, let’s begin with a look at the starting XI:
- The only unexpected change was Nicolas Jackson stepping in for Serge Gnabry. Unbeknownst to anyone not within the walls of Säbener Straße, Gnabry returned from duty with the German national team nursing an adductor injury. Otherwise, it was what everyone would have expected given the injury situation.
- As both teams attempted to gain control, Bayern Munich quickly became the aggressor and started to dominate possession. Michael Olise, Joshua Kimmich, and Luis Díaz all had good opportunities early on, but the Bavarians would not break through until the 21st minute when a corner from Kimmich found the head of Harry Kane, who put it home for his first headed goal in this Bundesliga campaign.
- There was — maybe — a valid argument that Kane’s contact on Serhou Guirassy to clear space might have been a foul. On this day, though, there was no whistle blown.
- Bayern Munich was in full control of the match and had BVB on its heels for much of the first half.
- In the 32nd minute, Sacha Boey had a good chance, but couldn’t make good on it. In the 36th minute, Olise hit the outside of the post as well. Bayern Munich was all over Borussia Dortmund, who had no answers.
- In the 42nd minute, Díaz had another good look, but saw his attempt blocked by a defender.
- Borussia Dortmund came out with more purpose in the second half and definitely had more life.
- In the 59th minute, Daniel Svensson sent in a nice low pass into Guirassy, who promptly sent it into the 26th row. This is partly why Kane is so valuable — he rarely scuffs one like that in that type of situation.
- In the 61st minute, Leon Goretzka came on for Nicolas Jackson. That move pushed Kane to striker and Aleksandar Pavlović to the No. 10 position.
- It was another uneventful effort from Jackson, who just looks…lackluster…uninspired…apathetic…all of the above? At some point, the effort and performances have to be better. How long will Bayern Munich wait before his role gets even more limited?
- In the 65th minute, Kimmich almost coughed up the lead with a horrible pass in the back that led to an attempt from Karim Adeyemi, who waited too long to pull the trigger.
- Entering the match, Niko Kovač sounded like a coach who knew his team was not quite ready for a game of this magnitude and it proved to be true. That said, BVB did not embarrass itself with its second half effort.
- In the 68th minute, Olise got a bit too cheeky after a beautiful cross-field pass from Kane. In terms of being disruptive, Olise was terrific on the day, but his decision-making in the final third was not the best.
- Nico Schlotterback’s 72nd minute challenge on Olise was incredible. Olise might have waited a split-second too long to decide to shoot, but Schlotterbeck snuffed it out before it became a threat.
- Even though Olise and Díaz did not take full advantage of their chances, they wore out Borussia Dortmund and required so much attention that BVB was constant left scrambling for coverage in the final third.
- Bayern Munich was spent for the final 20 minutes. The players looked weary mentally and physically. The toll of the international schedule, the wear-and-tear, and the effects of travel all appeared to be bothering the Bavarians. The squad looks like it needs some rest.
- In the 79th minute, Olise finally got his goal and it had nothing to do with skill…just heart and desire. After a sensational long pass from Kane to Díaz, the Colombian sent a low pass across the goal mouth, where Jobe Bellingham was dealing with it…slowly. Olise slid into Bellingham’s clearance attempt and knocked the ball into the net to make it 2-0. You could argue that Upamecano had a foul to start the play…BVB definitely did.
- Seconds after entering the match, Julian Brandt took advantage of Jonathan Tah and Upamecano falling asleep with a darting run between the center-backs to finish a cross from Julian Ryerson. At 2-1, there was a feeling of discomfort for Bayern Munich.
- BVB’s Maximilian Beier really struggled and was a mess. Overall, Beier lost possession five times on seven touches. YIKES! What a nightmare.
- Díaz had a chance to put the match out of reach in added time, but continued the theme of second half inefficiency around the net as he shot directly into Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
- By the way, Kane was freakin’ awesome…again.
- Overall, Bayern Munich was simply better than Borussia Dortmund. BVB was overwhelmed in the first half, but did find its courage and persistence in the second half. This game should be much different in the Rückrunde. While dominant in every phase of the contest, Bayern Munich also looked like a squad, whose team just spent most of the last two weeks intensely training and playing in international games. The bouts of inefficiency, poor decision-making, and fatigue should subside with some rest. Sure, the schedule is jam-packed, but the subs will have to be ready to step in and help. A rotation will be key to Bayern Munich surviving the rest of 2025. Don’t get too down about a slow second half, Bayern Munich showed great resilience and guts to get the victory over a BVB squad who played with great determination in the second half.
If you missed our Initial Analysis, Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast, give them a look or a listen:
Real, Barca, United to throw hat in the ring for Upamecano (ESPN)
With reports swirling that Bayern Munich will not pay Dayot Upamecano’s request for a 20 million signing bonus, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Manchester United are reportedly lining up to sign the French center-back:
Real Madrid and Barcelona both want to sign center back Dayot Upamecano as a free agent when his contract at Bayern Munich expires in the summer, Footmercato reports. Los Blancos are looking to replace ageing duo Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba, while the Barcelona could let Ronald Araújo depart and need cover. Manchester United are among the English clubs also interested in Upamecano, but the prospect of him staying at Bayern hasn’t been completely ruled out either.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 5, Episode 12 (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich is starting to really hit the rough-and-tumble portion of its first half schedule and Der Klassiker is at the forefront of it all.
Sure, Bayern Munich passed its test against Eintracht Frankfurt before the last international break, but Bundesliga matches against Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg, Champions League games vs. Club Brugge, Paris Saint-Germain, and Arsenal, plus a DFB-Pokal tilt vs. FC Köln all are on tap before the end of November.
In a nutshell, buckle up.
Let’s dive into that and more on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:
- Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund is really why we all became fans in the first place, so let’s get ready for Der Klassiker.
- Big updates on Harry Kane and Dayot Upamecano.
- The futures of Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, and Kim Min-jae are still up in the air.
- Reviewing the latest episode of HBO’s Task.
Chelsea, Gunners, Barca lining up for Yildiz (ESPN)
Kenan Yildiz really could be the one who got away, eh? The former Bayern Munich academy product and Juventus attacker is drawing interest from Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona:
Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona are all watching Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz, Gazzetta dello Sport reports. Juventus are set to offer the 20-year-old a contract renewal that will run until 2030, but they haven’t yet agreed on the finances. And Chelsea haven’t given up after seeing a €67 million offer to sign Yildiz rejected in the summer, while Arsenal and Barcelona are preparing to compete with them.
Neymar to Inter or Napoli? (ESPN)
Neymar could be looking for a move and Inter Milan and Napoli have been rumored to be potential destinations:
Santos forward Neymar is open to a move to Serie A amid links to Inter Milan and Napoli, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 33-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the year, and could return to Europe where he spent a decade at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Amid hopes of impressing Brazil senior national team manager Carlo Ancelotti and gaining a recall to the national team ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup, it is reported that Neymar would be keen to a move to either of the two clubs in Italy. Neymar, who has also recently been linked with MLS club Inter Miami, was previously offered to the Nerazzurri in the summer.
Inter Miami seems like it could be the most likely spot, but Neymar’s salary could exceed what MLS can support at this time.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Edges and Underdogs, a BuLi Action Show: Match Day 7 (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.
Last matchday record in the Bundesliga: 5-4
Overall Bundesliga record: 30-24
Real, Gunners, City all eyeing Brown (ESPN)
Eintracht Frankfurt left-back Nathaniel Brown’s recent call up to the German national team might have elevated his status to some clubs as Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester City are all monitoring him:
Multiple clubs in Europe are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt left back Nathaniel Brown, Bild reports. Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester City are all keen on the 22-year-old following a number of impressive performances this season, while he has also been linked with AC Milan. According to Florian Plettenberg, the Bundesliga club are aware of interest in Brown’s signature, and they are expected to demand an offer worth at least €60 million before agreeing to part ways with him.
Jackson on why Chelsea didn’t work out (Tuttosport)
Bayern Munich striker Nicolas Jackson had some thoughts on why things just did not seem to work out for him at Chelsea under Enzo Maresca.
“Football is full of cycles. Sometimes things don’t go as they should, and that’s part of the game. I respect Coach Maresca; I learned a lot from him; he has his own ideas and style. I just needed something different at this stage of my career. I have no regrets, just gratitude for my time at Chelsea,” said Jackson. “To be honest, I don’t like to compare coaches. They both have their own styles and operate in different clubs and contexts. They were two top players, now they are two top coaches. I learned a lot from Coach Maresca, and I know Vincent Kompany will teach me a lot too. I can’t wait to play under him.”
Jackson has not fit in with the rest of the Bayern Munich attack as of yet. More stagnant than his teammates, Jackson just has not found his footing in Bavaria. The situation could get better with familiarity, but it will soon be time to ask if the same issues that plagued him at Chelsea are the ones prevalent in his play at the moment.