BAYERN MUNICH OVERPOWERS FREIBURG, COMPLETING DRAMATIC COMEBACK WIN 6-2
Bayern Munich staged a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to thrash Freiburg 6-2 in the Bundesliga. Michael Olise was the star with a goal and four assists, sending Bayern eight points clear at the top.
After the international break in November, Bayern Munich started their Bundesliga games again in a very exciting manner. The reigning champions had to fight back from a 2-0 deficit to secure a 6-2 victory over Freiburg at Allianz Arena. Thanks to Saturday's win, Bayern made sure they had an eight-point advantage at the top of the league standings.
Vincent Kompany made some interesting team choices on Saturday, keeping in mind Wednesday's Champions League match against Arsenal. Lennart Karl and Tom Bischof were given starting positions, while Joshua Kimmich was placed on the bench, as the Belgian coach went with a midfield duo of Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic.
From the very beginning, Freiburg appeared to be the sharper team. Early in the game, the visiting team had two significant opportunities, but Die Roten were fortunate on both occasions. Freiburg controlled both penalty areas in the first 10 minutes, as Die Roten struggled to take control of the game.
The visitors were eventually rewarded for their strong start when they took the lead in the 12th minute. Jan-Niklas Beste sent in a superb corner kick that found Matthias Ginter inside the penalty area. Ginter headed the ball towards Yuito Suzuki, who powerfully shot it into the net from close range.
Five minutes later, the visitors stunned the Allianz Arena by doubling their advantage. From the right corner, Beste delivered another excellent cross that found Johan Manzambi in the penalty area. Manzambi jumped higher than everyone else to head the ball past Neuer.
Freiburg's second goal had truly awakened Bayern. The home team began to connect passes in the attacking third of the field. In the 22nd minute, they managed to reduce the deficit with a fantastic goal from Lennart Karl. Michael Olise was the creator of the goal, as he drove forward with the ball in the attacking third and delivered a perfectly placed pass to find Karl in the penalty area. With a clever touch, the young player moved away from his defender and then placed the ball into the left corner of the goal.
After scoring their first goal, Die Roten were able to gain momentum. Freiburg struggled to regain control of the ball as they had in the first 15 minutes. The Bavarian club created opportunities at a good pace and was close to scoring the equalising goal. In the added time of the first half, they finally broke through. Before the French forward unleashed a powerful shot to beat the goalkeeper, Olise and Karl combined brilliantly in the attacking third.
Vincent Kompany's halftime talk does the trick for Bayern
The equaliser just before the half-time break was exactly what Bayern needed to get into their rhythm. In the 55th minute, the home team took the lead after Olise sent in an accurate cross from the corner for Dayot Upamecano to head the ball into the net.
Following a header from Aleksandar Pavlovic inside the penalty area, Harry Kane scored, increasing Bayern's advantage to two goals. The English attacker extended Die Roten's lead by successfully manoeuvring the ball beyond Noah Atubolu, putting them in a strong position.
After entering the game as a substitute, Nicolas Jackson secured the victory for the home team by scoring in the 78th minute. With composure, the Senegalese player directed the ball into the bottom right corner, although the play's success was greatly influenced by Olise's smart pass to Jackson. Demonstrating his outstanding individual abilities, the French winger increased the score in the 84th minute by bending the ball around Atubolu from just outside the box. Hiroki Ito came on as a substitute and assisted Olise's goal.
Although Bayern's performance against Freiburg was not flawless, they showed resilience by overcoming early challenges. Kompany will be hoping that his team displays greater focus and intensity in their upcoming match against Arsenal on Wednesday.
MATTHAUS WARNS KOMPANY: DO NOT CHANGE ATTACKING STYLE DESPITE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT
Bayern have secured the Bundesliga! Read why Matthaus wants more "spectacular football" despite the 6-5 aggregate loss to PSG.
Lothar Matthaus has called on Vincent Kompany to continue with his attacking style, despite Bayern Munich's exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. The German legend feels Bayern’s entertaining approach shouldn’t be altered even though their defence showed vulnerabilities during the 6-5 aggregate loss in the semi-finals.
After conceding six goals over two legs, Bayern’s Champions League run came to an end. While the defeat exposed defensive issues, it also highlighted the offensive strategy Kompany has brought to the team. These defensive struggles aren’t limited to Europe either; high-scoring Bundesliga matches, like the 4-3 win over Mainz and the 3-3 draw with Heidenheim, have revealed a back line that’s still trying to find the right balance between taking risks and maintaining solidity.
Matthaus, who once captained Bayern, stresses that the club should stick with Kompany’s attacking mindset, even if it leaves them open at the back. He pointed out, “With such an attacking style of play, you can't defend everything, of course. Yes, they've conceded quite a few goals, but they’re still having a successful season and are close to winning the double. They’ve even made it to the Champions League semi-finals.”
The return of excitement at the Allianz Arena was clear, especially during the second leg when Ousmane Dembele’s early goal stunned the crowd. Although Harry Kane’s late equaliser wasn’t enough to turn the tie around, Matthaus sees positives in the bigger picture. He believes Bayern has brought back the thrill and flair fans expect.
“While Bayern didn’t play their best in the semi-final second leg against PSG, they have entertained throughout the year. I look forward to their matches because they’re usually packed with goals. Bayern stands for spectacular football, and this season has been no different. I wouldn’t move away from that style,” Matthaus shared.
With the focus shifting back to domestic competitions, Bayern have already secured the Bundesliga championship. They still have two league games left against Wolfsburg and Koln before preparing for the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on May 23.
BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT MARCUS RASHFORD MOVE REGARDLESS OF ANTHONY GORDON OUTCOME
Marcus Rashford is not a target for Bayern Munich this summer, as the club focuses entirely on signing Gordon from Newcastle.
Bayern Munich aren’t considering a move for Marcus Rashford this summer, no matter what happens with Anthony Gordon. That’s according to a German reporter who’s close to the story.
Right now, Rashford is wrapping up his loan at Barcelona. He’s set to return to Manchester United at the end of the season. Barcelona have an option to make the deal permanent for €30 million (£26 million) in the summer. Both Rashford and Barcelona want him to stay, but here’s the catch: the club doesn’t want to pay the full €30 million.
Barcelona would rather keep Rashford on loan for another year or get him for a lower fee. Manchester United’s not having it. They want the full price, so Barcelona are starting to look at other players.
Rashford hasn’t made a secret of where he wants to be. Earlier in the season, he told Sport, one of the local Barcelona papers, about how much he wants to stay, saying, “Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal.” He talked about the pressure and expectations at the club, saying they keep him motivated and that he feels like he’s in the perfect environment to grow and win trophies. For now, though, it’s all up in the air until next summer.
Last year, Bayern Munich actually showed some interest in Rashford before he went to Barcelona. But now, they’re focused on signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for the left wing. The problem is, Gordon’s interested, but Newcastle’s price is ridiculous, reportedly around £80 million (€92.6 million). That’s much higher than what Bayern’s willing to pay. They’re thinking closer to £60 million (€69.4 million), and maybe with add-ons or an instalment plan. If Newcastle won’t budge, it probably isn’t happening.
Christian Falk, a trusted journalist from Bild, says Bayern aren’t considering Rashford as a backup if they can’t land Gordon. Bayern’s got a short list of players for the left wing, and Rashford isn’t on it. Gordon’s their main focus, but even if that deal falls through, Rashford’s not the next in line.
So at this stage, Bayern and Rashford won’t be coming together this summer, even if Gordon stays at Newcastle. That’s just not in the plans.
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