Update
Crisis getting worse
FC Bayern suffers embarrassment at Kellerkind Bochum
February 18, 2024, 7:47 p.m
Third defeat in a week, bitter pill in the fight for the championship: FC Bayern suffered another defeat at the end of the 22nd matchday in the Bundesliga against passionate VfL Bochum despite an early lead. Dayot Upamecano is sent off again, the gap to league leaders Leverkusen is eight points.
Thomas Tuchel and his badly beaten stars crept into the dressing room in disbelief. After the next sobering defeat, FC Bayern was on red alert and the pressure on the coach was increasing. This happens “with every defeat. But this defeat is different. What can go wrong went wrong today. A lot went against us. We had a lot of top-class chances. That wasn’t deserved,” said Tuchel after the 2:3 (1 :2) and another poor performance at the clear outsider VfL Bochum on DAZN.
After the disappointments in Leverkusen and Rome, the situation with the record champions is becoming increasingly precarious. Bayer Leverkusen is now eight points ahead at the top of the Bundesliga table, and the defending champions are no longer in control of their twelfth championship in a row. This is “just not that realistic,” said Tuchel. There is even a risk of the first titleless season in twelve years.
Takuma Asano (38th), Keven Schlotterbeck (44th) and Kevin Stöger (78th) caused a sensation with a penalty kick for Bayern’s actual opponents, Bochum. Jamal Musiala (14th) initially put the favorites in the lead. To make matters worse, Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano also saw a yellow-red card (77′). Harry Kane only shortened the gap with his 25th goal of the season (87th).
In the run-up to the game, which was once again accompanied by massive fan protests, Tuchel pushed aside concerns about his future. “It makes no sense to worry about it,” he said on DAZN. There is an atmosphere at the record champions “as if we were in a relegation place. But we won’t talk everything into rubble internally.”
Bayern leads early
Compared to the game in Rome, Tuchel made two substitutions. Surprisingly, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting started for Leroy Sané, who, according to Tuchel, had been struggling with pain in his patellar tendon for weeks and came off the bench. Upamecano, who had already been sent off with a red card in Rome, also stayed out initially; Matthijs de Ligt started for him.
The reaction Tuchel was hoping for was a long time coming; the hosts had their first chance in the constant rain in Bochum with a header from captain Anthony Losilla (6th). The favorite had more possession of the ball, but like recently there were few ideas on offense at the beginning.
But Bayern improved – and struck ice cold. First Musiala failed in his attempt, the former Bochum player Leon Goretzka intercepted the rebound and passed it on to Musiala, who hit the ball with force into the short corner. Bayern were now more present, Musiala served Harry Kane with a dream pass, the striker was free in front of Bochum keeper Manuel Riemann – and shot clearly over (19th).
Protests followed. At first the Bochum fans kept throwing tennis balls onto the grass, when everything seemed to have been discarded, the Bayern supporters started. The first break lasted a total of 13 minutes, and the stadium announcer also warned the fans that the game would be stopped if more balls were thrown.
The crowd whips Bochum forward
From the break, VfL shocked Bayern. Losilla claimed the ball strongly in midfield and sent Asano down the left. The Japanese brought the ball past Manuel Neuer with a powerful shot to equalize.
The Bochum team were better in this phase. Egged on by the loudly celebrating audience in the Ruhrstadion, Schlotterbeck rose highest after a corner and headed Bochum’s lead.
After halftime there was the next break with tennis balls: During the nine-minute break, referee Daniel Schlager (Hügelsheim) sent the teams into the dressing room. As the game continued, Bayern pressed, but once again there was a lack of lightness, even if Tuchel took risks with a few substitutions. Bochum, on the other hand, defended with passion and made it 3-1 with a penalty before Kane scored. Bayern now pushed, but without success.