FC Bayern Munich has found its way back to success in the Bundesliga after the surprising end of the Champions League quarter-finals against FC Villarreal. On matchday 30, coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team won 3-0 (2-0) at Arminia Bielefeld.
Jacob Laursen gave Bayern the lead with an own goal (10′), before Serge Gnabry doubled just before the break (45’+7′). Substitute Jamal Musiala scored the final five minutes from time.
Bielefeld’s Fabian Kunze was substituted with a head injury and taken to hospital for further tests. At DAZN, Bielefeld coach Frank Kramer said that the midfielder was “stable”. This was preceded by an elbow strike by Tanguy Nianzou, for which he “only” saw a yellow card. Nagelsmann himself then confirmed that a red card would have been appropriate.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Vidovic celebrated his competitive debut for FC Bayern. The 18-year-old came on for Gnabry in the 88th minute.
With four games to go, FC Bayern still have a nine-point lead over pursuers Borussia Dortmund. Next Saturday there will be a direct duel in Munich, with a win against BVB FC Bayern can secure their tenth championship in a row.
That is also the goal of Munich. “We were disappointed with our performance after the Villarreal game, but now we want to secure the championship against Dortmund,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann and lamented the lack of chances in the early stages: “We should have been 4-0 up after 15 minutes. Then it became classic, but it’s also okay that we then went into game control.”
Before Munich’s performance in Bielefeld, CEO Oliver Kahn had the sports1-Double pass comprehensive position taken. Here are the most important statements.
Arminia Bielefeld – FC Bayern Munich: The line-ups
Arminia Bielefeld – FC Bayern Munich: The analysis
Like in the 1-1 draw against Villarreal, Nagelsmann used an unusual 3-2-3-2 system, but with a changed starting XI to four positions. On the ten Sabitzer surprisingly started behind Müller and Lewandowski; on the left stormed instead of the injured Coman Davies, who ensured speed and determination in his team’s game from the start.
It was also Davies who prepared the early lead for FC Bayern through the own-goal scorer Laursen. It was just one of many good chances the guests had in the early stages, just before Lewandowski had failed on the crossbar (8′). In general, the guests appeared more structured than against Villarreal. Instead of just hitting a string of crosses into the penalty area, FC Bayern showed creative combinations.
But Bielefeld also set isolated accents, especially through the lively right winger Wimmer. However, as the game progressed, the liberating counterattacks became fewer, before the hosts suddenly became more dangerous at the end of the first half. Just in this phase Gnabry increased to 2:0.
At the break, Nagelsmann replaced the central defender Nianzou, who had been stable for a long time but was overwhelmed shortly before the break, with Stanisic, and Upamecano then took over the central post in the back three. The playful superiority of large parts of the first half did not come back as a result.
Bielefeld was now even the more active team at times, FC Bayern presented themselves rather unimaginative and too imprecise in their actions. Substitutions by Sane and Musiala in the middle of the second half did not change that, although Musiala scored to make it 3-0.
Arminia Bielefeld vs. FC Bayern: The data of the game
The left winger, who has recovered from heart muscle inflammation, brought speed and determination to his team’s game. Again and again Davies prevailed in dribbling and thus ensured space gains. He started the 1:0 strongly.
The flop of the match: Jacob Laursen (Arminia Bielefeld)
Very unfortunate appearance of the Bielefeld left-back. First, Laursen scored into his own goal to make it 0-1, then he had to come down injured with thigh problems. Until he was substituted in the 39th minute, he only managed one pass.
The referee: Matthias Jöllenbeck
Jöllenbeck had to solve a number of tricky scenes, for which he usually needed the help of technology and VAR. When Lewandowski hit the crossbar, he rightly decided after looking at the clock not to score (8th). His goal, which conformed to the rules, two minutes later, he only gave up after consulting the VAR after an original decision to be offside. It was closer to Okugawa’s supposed 1-1, which didn’t count because of a razor-thin offside position (43′). A few seconds later, Jöllenbeck decided against a red card when Nianzou elbowed Kunze, who was then injured and substituted, which was at least a controversial decision. The referee only recognized the legality of Gnabry’s goal to make it 2-0 after consulting the VAR.
