Friday, January 07, 2022
Lots of teenagers on the bench
Bavaria’s Corona emergency team messed up the start of the second half
The coronavirus pandemic is plaguing FC Bayern. Nine professionals are missing, coach Julian Nagelsmann has to add the club’s young players to the squad – and let them play like the youngest Bayern debutant Paul Wanner. They can’t do anything against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Autumn champion FC Bayern Munich received its Corona receipt with an emergency line-up at the start of the new year against Borussia Mönchengladbach. With the comeback of national player Joshua Kimmich, the Munich offensive around the world footballer Robert Lewandowski, who hit again immediately, on Friday evening at 1: 2 (1: 2) could not whitewash the deficiencies in the reformed and incomplete defense. After Lewandowski’s 20th goal of the season (18th minute), the Gladbachers woke up and turned the game around with goals from Florian Neuhaus (27th) and Stefan Lainer (31st) against Bayern’s substitute goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
Bayern pushed in vain for the equalizer after the break – Lewandowski hit the bar (62nd) and failed because of the strong Yann Sommer (78th). Borussia annoyed Bayern, which was decimated by nine corona cases, during temporary snowfall in the empty Allianz Arena, as they did in the triumphant 5-0 win in the DFB Cup at the end of October. A quarter of an hour before the end, even the two teenagers Paul Wanner and Lucas Copado made their Bayern debut – Wanner at the Munich record age of 16 years and 15 days. Despite the false start in the second half of the Bundesliga, Bayern remain clearly at the top of the table.
Bayern defensively vulnerable
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann followed the first phase of his Notelf in a thick winter jacket. Kimmich, who initially played as a right-back after a two-month Corona break and excitement, increased noticeably and was soon again a driver and leader. The Bayern game was too restless overall. On the left, which was very vulnerable in the first half, the actually much more offensive Marcel Sabitzer helped out behind the 19-year-old Malik Tillman.
When it came to the starting line-up, Nagelsmann said shortly before the kick-off, “some clubs may say we’d like them”. And at first the remaining star players could also be relied on. Serge Gnabry first tested summer (8th), then the world footballer came: Lewandowski, who is also in the top 3 of the FIFA election this year, let Nico Elvedi get out and took the lead. The last pass came from Thomas Müller, who is already the best assists in the league.
On the defensive, however, the record champions remained vulnerable on slippery grass. The guests, who also have to complain about four corona failures, used their first dangerous attack to compensate. After a cross from the strong Lainer, Bayern did not manage to keep Cup-Schreck Breel Embolo from the pass to Neuhaus. Just a good four minutes later, the 1.75 meter tall Lainer won the decisive header duel against Benjamin Pavard after a corner and overcame Manuel Neuer’s representative Ulreich again.
New impulses? Nothing
By the half-time break, an open, but muddled game developed in which the Gladbachers repeatedly revealed Bayern’s problems and sensed their chance. Lainer (44th) and Embolo (45th) had other options. Despite increased inaccuracies in the build-up due to Lewandowski’s shot from the post, Bayern had a great chance to equalize almost from the goal line, Matthias Ginter cleared the line (45th + 2).
Nagelsmann had hardly any opportunities to set new impulses in view of his bench, which was filled with juniors. His starting eleven tried accordingly to build up more pressure in the second half. Jamal Musiala, on whose jersey the name of the missing Corentin Tolisso was, failed on the good summer after a one-two with Müller (56th), who did not overcome the Gladbach keeper (58th). Borussia wobbled in this phase – Müller and Kimmich had the next good chance (60th). Lewandowski hit the bar (62nd).
Gladbach coach Adi Hütter was not at all satisfied on the sidelines. Bayern also strengthened thanks to the far too passive guests who could hardly hold a ball. Hütter reacted with a double change (64th), his team subsequently became a bit more dangerous with counterattacks. Substitute Alassane Plea had the chance to make it 3-1 (84th).