Die Folgen: Bayern’s 3-1 win over Sporting CP (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich hosted Sporting CP in a Champions League match featured in the early slate of an overall loaded schedule.
The Bavarians were dominant from the outset and used the energy of the home crowd to help power the team to a 3-1 victory over the visitors.
Bayern Munich was strong in every facet of the game and took advantage of a Sporting CP side that was missing a few of its top attacking players. Surely, those players would have made a different, but the Bavarians did not care who was on the pitch…they
were there for business — and business was good.
Let’s get going, here are some quick hitters on the match:
- As always, let’s begin with a look at the starting XI:
- Vincent Kompany went with the exact lineup most expected. With a Bundesliga match against lowly Mainz 05 on the weekend, the head coach will be able to rotate as needed. For this match, though, it was par for the course.
- Lennart Karl was a smidge offside in the early going, which nullified what would have been an awesome goal.
- Bayern Munich’s movement was exceptional early on. You could see that the squad had some juice with their energy and creativity. Bayern Munich also dominated possession against an undermanned side from Sporting CP.
- Olise was firing away early. The Frenchman seemed intent on scoring a goal.
- Sporting CP just really had nothing to offer against Bayern Munich.
- Karl had another good chance in the 18th minute, but could not get on top of his attempt on the aerial ball.
- Sporting CP was under constant duress.
- In the 25th minute, Sporting CP goalkeeper Rui Silva made a terrific save on Gnabry, who sharply cut-in from the left-side to rip a shot with his left foot.
- Sporting CP did not press aggressively, which allowed Bayern Munich to have ample time to figure things out.
- In the 28th minute, Jonathan Tah slide to break up a pass almost resulted in an own goal and his clearance attempt was headed into the net if not for Manuel Neuer, who intervened.
- Kane did not get enough on his 31st minute attempt, which was saved by Silva.
- It was a weird first half. Bayern Munich was thrashing Sporting CP, but just could not score.
- In the 37th minute, Kane rattled the post after using some footwork to free himself up for a shot.
- Maximiliano Araújo had no answers for Olise. The French winger was just having his way with the defender.
- Josip Stanišić sent a header just wide in the 42nd minute.
- In the 44th minute, Aleksandar Pavlović fed Karl a perfect pass and the youngster spun through Sporting CP’s defense before ripping a shot that Silva — once again — saved. The placement could have been better, but the work to even get to that spot and take the shot was nothing short of magnificent.
- In the 54th minute, the unthinkable happened — Bayern Munich gave Sporting CP the lead on an own goal from Joshua Kimmich. João Simões sent in a low cross that Kimmich attempted to clear with a slide, but his redirection found an opening in the net and made it 1-0. What a disaster after dominating the match for so long!
- Sporting CP had had no attempts on goal to that point in the game.
- Kimmich, who has been making a lot of mistakes of late, seemed to really let that mistake affect him.
- Kimmich and Karl had attempts in the 59th minute which were handled by Silva. Bayern Munich definitely ramped up its intensity more after giving up the goal.
- Karl’s workrate is off the charts.
- Finally, after a full game of dominating Sporting CP, Bayern Munich got its goal. Olise’s corner went outside of the far post, where Gnabry was waiting all by himself for an easy goal. That score had to take a massive load off of Bayern Munich’s shoulders.
- That would open things up for the Bavarians and it was Karl — who else? — who came up big to make it 2-1. After some crisp passing, Laimer sent an aerial ball into a streaking Karl, who took a deft touch and then stung home a goal to make it 2-1.
- What else can you say about Karl…what a playmaker! The kid just makes good things happen.
- In the 77th minute, Kimmich sent a looping, diagonal cross toward Gnabry, who headed it back toward the six-yard box, where Tah slid and one-touched it home. It was 3-1 and Sporting CP was spent.
- In a span of 12 minutes, Bayern Munich went from feeling like it might let this one slip away to running completely roughshod — again — over Sporting CP.
- In the 83rd minute, Upamecano thwarted what could have been a goal from Luis Suarez with a sliding tackle.
- In the 88th minute, Alphonso Davies made his long-awaited return.
- Overall, Bayern Munich was dominant in every way, but did not score as much as it probably would have liked. Sporting CP just could not get anything going. While there was a brief period of worry, Bayern Munich stormed back with three goals to ice the game. It was a strong showing even if it felt like Bayern Munich should have scored five or six goals.
If you missed our Initial Analysis, Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast, give them a look or a listen:
Sonny accuser jailed for blackmail (Foot Mercato)
Because the world is whacked, a women tried to blackmail Son Heung-min by saying she was pregnant:
A young woman in her twenties, named Yang, was sentenced Monday to four years in prison for blackmailing Son Heung-min with the threat of pregnancy, Yonhap News TV reported . According to the media outlet, Yang was accused of extorting 300 million won (over €175,000) from the South Korean striker in late 2024 after sending him a fetal ultrasound image and threatening to make her pregnancy public.
She then allegedly tried to extort an additional 70 million (almost 41,000 euros) from him with the complicity of her boyfriend, “identified as Mr. Yong”, who was sentenced to two years in prison for attempted blackmail. Both defendants have been incarcerated since May. Refusing to pay this second sum, the former Tottenham player ultimately filed a complaint. The trial, held behind closed doors last month, saw the player appear in court.
The world is a crazy place.
Villa leading on De Cat (Ekrem Konur)
Aston Villa could be leading Bayern Munich, Everton, Leeds, West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Borussia Dortmund, Olympique Lyon, and Olympique Marseille on Anderlecht midfielder Nathan De Cat:
🚨🆕 #Anderlecht 🇧🇪
Aston Villa are pushing for Anderlecht midfielder Nathan De Cat! Unai Emery sees him as the perfect partner for Kamara.💰Villa are preparing a €22–25M bid plus bonuses and 10–15% resale clause. Anderlecht value him closer to €35M.
👀 Everton, Leeds, West Ham, Tottenham, Brighton, Bayern, Dortmund, Lyon and Marseille are monitoring the Belgian talent too.
Milan holds more talks with Lewandowski (ESPN)
AC Milan has reportedly held more talks with FC Barcelona Striker Robert Lewandowski:
Further talks have taken place between AC Milan and the representatives of Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, according to Calciomercato. The Rossoneri remain keen on landing the 37-year-old, who is set to enter the final six months of his deal at Camp Nou in January. It is reported that a player exchange deal involving Christopher Nkunku has been discussed, as the 28-year-old struggles to find form at San Siro having scored one goal in 11 games across all competitions since moving from Chelsea in the summer.
Bayern Alumni: Sommer out at Inter? (Nicolò Schira)
Yann Sommer’s time with Inter Milan could be coming to an end:
Yann #Sommer’s future at #Inter is in doubt. His contract expires in June and the negotiations for the contract extension are currently stationary. #transfers
Sommer has been an excellent goalkeeper for over a decade. If he wants to continue onward with his career, he should have multiple options.
Al-Hilal eyeing Salah (BBC)
Liverpool and Mo Salah appear to be headed toward a messy divorce and, if so, Al-Hilal would love to give the Egyptian a new home:
Al-Hilal among the Saudi Pro League clubs interested in Mohamed Salah, whose bombshell interview leaves huge question marks over his Liverpool future.
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…
