Bayern Munich hosted RB Leipzig in a match that had a lot of anticipation.
Die Roten Bullen were sick of getting torched by the Bavarians, while Bayern Munich wanted to take its next step toward a club goal of winning the DFB-Pokal.
Advertisement
Mission accomplished for Vincent Kompany’s group as it secured a tough 2-0 win over a squad that truly did look — and play — like it was sick of dealing with Bayern Munich. Here are some quick hitters on the match:
-
As always, let’s begin with the starting XI:
-
Everything was pretty much in order and as expected except for Serge Gnabry over Jamal Musiala as the attacking midfielder and Josip Stanišić over Konrad Laimer at right-back. Laimer must not be fully ready to start yet and Bayern Munich might just be taking it very slow with Musiala. Either way, both of those moves would be astute. There is no reason to rush either player along.
-
It looked like it was not going to take RB Leipzig long to assert itself as it scored in the 4th minute when Yan Diomande dribbled his way through the left-side of the Bayern Munich formation before Christoph Baumgartner blasted a one-touch attempt past Manuel Neuer. However, there was an offside call that nullified it.
-
That was a crisis averted to say the least.
-
Harry Kane almost scored in the 12th minute, but Maarten Vandevoordt turned him away. It was not great placement by Kane, but it was a blast that the goalkeeper had to stop from close-range. Kane probably should have scored two or three goals in the first half.
-
RB Leipzig sounded very confident ahead of the match and followed through by playing that way as well.
-
Kane went for an ambitious sliding volley in the 21st minute, but it was not meant to be as he could not get a good piece of the ball.
-
RB Leipzig was giving Bayern Munich some fits. There were some sloppy moments from the backline.
-
David Raum almost lit up the goal in the 37th minute, but Neuer made a big stop on a rocket. Neuer had a very strong performance and was a steady presence in between the sticks.
-
Though many Bayern Munich fans disagreed, the Bavarians were outplayed again in the first half and the defense was subpar at best. Bayern Munich desperately needed halftime to regroup.
-
Both Stanišić and Aleksandar Pavlović had card-worthy fouls that could have changed the game in the first half. Bayern Munich was very fortunate.
-
It would be hard to say many players stood out consistently in the first half. Davies had a rough go, outside of a few moments, while Stanišić was not great, either. Upamecano was roaming too much and Tah looked a step too slow. Offensively, the attacking group was not completely fluid. All that said, there was little doubt that Bayern would be able to storm to take the lead in the second half.
-
Gnabry ripped a shot in the 58th minute, but Vandevoordt was on-point. It was a strong showing for the goalkeeper.
-
Funny enough, it would be Stanišić and Vandevoordt, who combined for the biggest play of the game. Davies sent Stanišić up the field with a long ball. After making a great run and getting a touch on it, Stanišić was taken out by Vandevoordt for a PK. Kane (who else?) stepped to the spot and went low to his right as Vandevoordt guessed the wrong way. Bayern Munich fans could exhale…it was finally 1-0.
-
That opened the floodgates. Just three minutes later, Olise sent in a diagonal ball to a streaking Luis Díaz, who deposited the ball into the net. The spectacularly-coiffed Willi Orban took an atrocious angle on the play and then inexplicably did not even try to body the Colombian.
-
Overall, Bayern Munich got the job done in what was a physical and sometimes ugly game. Yes, things did look choppy for periods, but beating a team three times in one season is extremely difficult and Bayern Munich managed to do that. RB Leipzig is a very good team and the Bavarians handled them. On to Werder Bremen.
If you missed our Initial Analysis, Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast, give them a look or a listen:
Now that we all know Leon Goretzka is officially leaving Bayern Munich this summer, there could be a bidding war for him as AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur could join Arsenal and Atlético Madrid in the hunt for the Germany international:
According to Calciomercato, the Bayern Munich veteran prefers a move to the Premier League for the next chapter of his career. Despite the Rossoneri’s clear interest and the fact that the club has made contact with his entourage on multiple occasions, Goretzka seems increasingly likely to end up in England.
The competition for his signature is fierce. While Arsenal have long been linked with the 31-year-old, Tottenham Hotspur have also joined the race, providing the German international with two high-profile London options. For Milan, the obstacles are not only tactical but also financial. The report notes that significant salary problems could hold the club back, as management is already well aware of the hefty wage demands required to lure him away from Bavaria.
Even after all of this, Goretzka looks like he will end up with a nice payday and destination for his next chapter.
Advertisement
It appears that Real Madrid is not giving up its longtime pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Rodri:
Real Madrid are preparing a serious bid for Manchester City midfielder Rodri in the summer as the Premier League side prepare for a potential post-Pep Guardiola overhaul, according to TEAMtalk. Los Blancos are hoping to address a perceived lack of leadership in the squad, and see Spain international Rodri as a potential captain and the perfect candidate to add some experience and presence. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has previously admitted he would consider a move to the Spanish capital, and with City boss Guardiola’s future unclear, this summer could be the perfect time.
There were rumors swirling that Bayern Munich had interest in Manchester United right-back Diogo Dalot, but Sport Bild’s Christian Falk says that is not the case:
“It is NOT TRUE: Bayern Munich are interested in Manchester United right-back Diogo Dalot,” the head of BILD exclusively informed CF Bayern Insider. “Bayern have a list with many, many players on it. Of course, they know the player, but at the moment, they don’t have the money for such a move.
“They have a clear plan for the defence, and they are searching additionally for offensive options. The biggest fee will go to the offensive line – they’re searching for a player behind Luis Diaz. Every other target is parked in the back until they know what they’re going to do with the position.”
Manchester United are reportedly going to take a run at Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali:
Manchester United are hoping to replace midfielder Casemiro with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, according to the Telegraph. The 25-year-old’s future at St. James’ Park remains unclear after he was linked with a move to Arsenal in January, and now United are hoping to beat their London rivals to the signing of a player they would like to see partner with the resurgent Kobbie Mainoo next season. Tonali is keen to play Champions League football next season so could be open to a move. Manchester City and Juventus are expected to express interest.
Newcastle seems like it could be headed for some turnover, eh?
Juventus is still not giving up hope to get Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain:
Juventus look the most likely club to sign forward Randal Kolo Muani on a permanent basis in the summer, with Tottenham Hotspur seemingly reluctant to make his loan deal a permanent one, according to Teamtalk. The London club was open to letting him leave in January, but no bid was made to his parent club, Paris Saint-Germain. Muani is aware that he faces little prospect of breaking into Thomas Frank’s squad on a regular basis, and though he has reserved his best form for the Champions League, he looks set to return to Paris in June. He has two years left on his contract.
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…
Advertisement
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
-
Comment on articles, community posts
-
Rec comments, community posts
-
New, improved notifications system!