Heading into the Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano, Bayern Munich was coming off a run of bad luck with off-pitch incidents and piling injuries. Ismaël Saibari, Serge Gnabry, and Michael Olise all sustained injuries in the 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund just days before the trip to Madrid, but Olise was the only player of the three not to suffer a long-term injury and featured against Atlético.
The trio of injuries from der Klassiker added to what was already
a sustained period without Jamal Musiala and intermittent periods without veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who has been dealing with recurring pain and foot problems. These injuries arguably pale in comparison to the emotional toll the club has experienced, with Joshua Kimmich losing his father and Vincent Kompany experiencing a medical event that has left him sidelined on rest and recovery.
All things considered—between the emotions, injuries, and frustration of conceding late to Dortmund to drop two points—the match against Atlético had all the hallmarks of a potential banana peel for the German Rekordmeister. However, that was far from the case on the night. Both Aaron Danks and Neuer lauded the team’s “dominant” performance in a match Bayern easily could have won 3-0 or 4-0 instead of 2-0, especially considering Dayot Upamecano had a goal controversially ruled out by VAR in the second half.
Honorary Bayern president Uli Hoeneß admitted that he was slightly nervous going into the Atlético clash. Diego Simeone’s side is known for physical play and is no stranger to yellow and red cards, but Bayern managed to come away unscathed—a relief above all else.
“I had terrible concerns beforehand. It’s always difficult against Atlético; I know how hard they can play. So I was very nervous sitting in front of the TV before the game. I’m absolutely thrilled with our team’s game in Madrid. Especially in the second half, we completely outplayed Atlético in their own stadium. I haven’t seen such a fantastic away performance in years,” Hoeneß admitted (via @iMiaSanMia).
For what it’s worth, he likely wasn’t the only one with similar concerns, nor the only one equally pleased with Bayern’s performance on the night. The team now carries positive momentum into the weekend’s Bundesliga clash against Mainz before this month’s international break.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- New, improved notifications system!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
