A lot of effort, no shine, but thanks to double packer Harry Kane, another victory: FC Bayern celebrated an urgently needed liberation at the start of the farewell tour of their outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel.
Thomas Tuchel quickly received congratulations from Marco Rose, waved to the audience and then quickly disappeared into the catacombs. Outside on the pitch, double packer Harry Kane and the other Bayern Munich stars celebrated this redemptive 2-1 (0-0) against RB Leipzig – in the first game after coach Tuchel’s farewell announcement, the record champions ended their negative series and celebrated an urgently needed liberation .
“The better team won, of course it sounds like Bayern nonsense, but I think it was simply deserved,” said Manuel Neuer on “Sky”: “We want to continue professionally until the end.”
Tuchel has set up the team “top and professionally”, the team “and each individual” must have a “guilty conscience” and “take care of their own nose” in view of the imminent separation.
Harry Kane shoots FC Bayern to victory
The difference was made by striker Kane, who initially gave Bayern the lead (56th) and scored decisively late on (90th+1). By switching to a three-man chain, Tuchel initiated a final offensive, and Kane came out on top in the attack.
Benjamin Sesko (70th) had previously equalized for coach Rose’s Leipzig team. Bayer Leverkusen continues to lead the table with an eight-point lead over Bayern. Never before has a team made up such a big gap so late in the season. Especially since the Munich team certainly didn’t offer a masterful performance on Saturday.
In any case, there was little to be seen in Bayern’s 1,000th Bundesliga home game of any liberating effect from the established coaching change in the summer. Especially with a view to the Champions League duel with Lazio Rome, the Munich team should now be hoping for an initial spark.
Tuchel, who called up Joshua Kimmich as right-back, announced on Sky before the game that they were “ready to fight” – and the 50-year-old himself went ahead. Tuchel was in the coaching zone from the first minute, drove his team forward – and was almost able to celebrate their early lead.
FC Bayern dropped significantly after the break
After a well-played counterattack, Kane (5th) failed with a header from Janis Blaswich, who parried brilliantly. The goalkeeper had moved into the Leipzig goal following Peter Gulasci’s short-term absence – and had little to do after this first test.
Bayern didn’t know what to do with their possession of the ball. The energetic commands of their coach, who had to sit on a metal box and watch as his team’s few trips into the final third were stopped by bad passes and a lack of concentration, didn’t help either.
After half time the guests seemed to be superior. Leipzig ran high up against Bayern, surrounded the penalty area – and got good shots for the first time. Accordingly, surprisingly, the Munich team took the lead.
As at the start of the game, Kane appeared free in front of Blaswich after a counterattack. This time the Englishman remained ice cold. Despite having the lead, Bayern continued to play with fire defensively. Manuel Neuer had to save several times at the last moment, but he was powerless when Sesko finished.
Nevertheless, Bayern celebrated in the end – because Kane scored with his left.