Bayern Munich carried over their form from the Champions League to crush their opposition St.Pauli. The Bundesliga fixture between a side fighting relegation against the table toppers was a feisty battle. Bayern fought off St.Pauli’s feisty challenge and punished their mistakes with merciless precision.
Bayern kept an eye on the return leg against Real Madrid in the UEFA champions league quarterfinals. As a result, Vincent Kompany made seven changes to allow the primary squad to be rested for the Wednesday
fixture. The changed lineup allowed some experimentation and there were certain positives to take away from it. Without further ado, here are the match awards:
Jersey Swap — Nobody
It is what it is.
St. Pauli put up a vigorous fight to hold the Bavarians from scoring. However, their inability to coordinate on attacks ended any real chance of fighting the scoreboard. They never made it easy for Bayern. The visitors were challenged and had to earn every pass made in the opposition half.
The difference in quality allowed the Kompany’s side to bypass the barbed wire defense of St. Pauli. Having said that, no individual player stood out in a way that could make a difference for his team. Bayern unlocked the opposition lanes and finished their chances to put an end to any comeback from the home-side.
Der Kaiser — Kim Min-jae
The Korean put in a solid shift when called upon. Bayern had the lion’s share of possession and the unrelenting vertical movement meant dispossessions just before the half line. Making seven recoveries, Kim lead the backline in handling the loose balls and shutting out St. Pauli’s rare chances to attack. Kim also led the team in touches as he was often the base of restarting Bayern’s attacking sequences.
Fußballgott — Leon Goretzka
The Bayern box-to-box midfielder was up for an industrious day on the pitch. He was key in holding off the physical pressure from the opposition. With 112 touches, Goretzka was the go to man to move the ball to in midfield. His goal, Bayern’s 102nd this season, broke the record for most goals in the Bundesliga set in the 1971/72 season. Goretzka topped it off with an assist and finished with a strong performance.
Der Bomber — Nicolas Jackson
The Senegalese offers a different profile from Harry Kane. He was good with his hold-up play and works well as an out an out number 9. His connection with Jamal Musiala was a pleasant surprise. Jackson scored late to make it 5-0 for Bayern, getting a deserved goal for his efforts throughout the match. Bayern should consider extending his stay, as he can be the backup striker to Harry Kane to put out Bundesliga games in between loaded weeks.
Meister of the Match — Jamal Musiala
Musiala really grew into the game. The rustiness from not having played in a long time is not easy to get rid off. Game time and confidence from it is crucial to get back to full match fitness. Musiala started slow, missing a few touches and misplacing passes. However, the number 10 really grew comfortable as the game progressed and started to look like his old self.
His header to open the scoring was perfect and that probably did settle his nerves and boosted his confidence. Kompany and Bayern are doing a good job in taking time with his recovery. His flick to assist Jackson in the 89th minute was once a glimpse of what he can really do. Overall, a great performance from him considering his situation and hope that things continue to get better.
Special shoutout
Tom Bischof
Starting at left-back, the youngster showed once again he deserves more minutes in the first team. Midfield is where this kid can really shine. His ball distribution in the midfield paired with his pressing ability has made him a versatile option for Vincent Kompany.
Michael Olise
The Frenchman was a total menace once again. St. Pauli could not contain him and often resorted to harsh tackles that riled up an otherwise calm Olise. The winger did the damage and gave it back to a booing crowd with a goal in the 54th minute.
Bara Sapoko Ndiaye
This kid was a total surprise from Kompany. Listed as injured for nearly two months by Transfermarkt, his appearance could not be seen coming. Nonetheless, the kid was unshakeable. The home side who were keen on hassling the visitors all night could not bully this kid. Ndiaye held his own, offered to drop back and assist his team against the St. Pauli press. His one touch pass to Jonathan Tah who more than 15 feet away is a great sign from this talent. He is definitely one to watch out for.
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…
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