FC Bayern Munich defended their six-point lead over Borussia Dortmund on matchday 20 of the Bundesliga. At Hertha BSC, the team coached by Julian Nagelsmann won 4-1 (2-0).
Corentin Tolisso (25th) and Thomas Müller (45th) gave FC Bayern a 2-0 lead before the break in front of 3,000 fans in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. After the break, Leroy Sane (75′) and Serge Gnabry (79′) followed up before substitute Jurgen Ekkelenkamp scored the consolation goal for Hertha (80′).
With 20 shots on the Berlin goal, Bayern set a new Bundesliga record. There were a total of 29 shots on goal, Hertha got five.
“We controlled it for 90 minutes. We need a few more games like this, then we will feel good and have confidence,” said the strong Joshua Kimmich, whose health was “completely fine again” after surviving the corona infection. Thomas Müller praised: “We squeezed Berlin in right from the start and didn’t let anything get burnt. That was an absolutely beautiful day of football.” FC Bayern had a total of 30 shots on goal and had 66 percent ball possession.
On Saturday, pursuers Dortmund had already won 3-2 at TSG Hoffenheim and temporarily reduced the Munich lead at the top of the table to three points. The Bundesliga is now on a two-week break. Then FC Bayern meets RB Leipzig.
Hertha BSC vs Bayern Munich: The Analysis
After two unsuccessful attempts with Sabitzer as Davies’ direct representative at left-back, Nagelsmann made tactical changes against Hertha. This time he bet on a back three with Hernandez on the left. Kimmich returned to the six, where he demanded a lot of balls and was extremely dominant.
Tolisso acted in the center next to Kimmich, who often advanced to the top and caused danger there: his first “goal” in the 2nd minute was denied because of an offside position, in the 25th he finally scored the deserved lead. Müller followed up shortly before the break, but the 2-0 at half-time was still flattering from Hertha’s point of view, keeper Schwolow made several strong saves.
FC Bayern squeezed the hosts from the back and had a number of chances to score. Nagelsmann fielded five pure offensive players who castled regularly and took turns dropping something. It often became dangerous after interface passes or side moves.
Despite the extremely offensive orientation with at times all field players deep in the opposing half, FC Bayern was pretty stable defensively. Only in the middle of the first half did Hertha have a few counterattack opportunities, but they didn’t take advantage of them.
Shortly after the break, the hosts, in the person of Darida, missed a good chance to catch up, before the game was like the first half until the final whistle. Hertha’s consolation goal to make it 4-1 was made possible by Upamecano, who had just come on as a substitute, with a back pass to Neuer that was too short.
After two appearances as a substitute right-back, Kimmich returned to his parade position in central midfield and dominated there as if he had never been away. Kimmich had by far the most ball contacts (154) at FC Bayern and repeatedly stimulated the game with clever interface passes. He hung up the goals to make it 2-0 and 4-0.
The flop of the match: Peter Pekarik (Hertha BSC)
Hertha’s right-back was instrumental in the first two goals conceded. In the run-up to the 0:1 he lost the ball to Lewandowski, at the 0:2 he let the goalscorer Müller rush.
The referee: Bastian Dankert
Dankert had the game well under control. He rightly denied Tolissos supposed 1-0 in the 2nd minute because of an offside position. It was also right not to accept Sane’s goal in the 89th because of a handball.
