In the first game under their new coach Thomas Tuchel, FC Bayern stormed back to the top of the Bundesliga table with a show of force.
Just under a week after separating from Julian Nagelsmann, the series champion overran archrival Borussia Dortmund 4: 2 (3: 0) in a furious top game and is two points ahead again with eight games before the end of the season.
A slapstick own goal by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel (13th), Thomas Müller (18th, 23rd) and Kingsley Coman (50th) ensured the first win under Tuchel – and against his former employer of all things. Emre Can (72′, penalty kick) and Donyell Malen (90′) shortened late.
For BVB, who lost a Bundesliga game for the first time this year, a painful series continued. The Black and Yellows have not scored a point in Munich for nine league games – goal difference: 8:37.
In his eagerly awaited premiere, Tuchel, unlike Nagelsmann recently, relied on a back four, with Leroy Sané and Müller, among others, starting on the offensive. Sadio Mane, Serge Gnabry and Joao Cancelo, on the other hand, had to make do with a bench seat. In view of the short preparation time for the top duel, Tuchel had announced “a very unfair line-up”.
FC Bayern initially too imprecise
However, the chosen eleven had some problems repaying the trust placed in them in the early stages. Many inaccuracies caused Tuchel to enter his coaching zone for the first time after six minutes.
Any attempts to push his team forward were initially in vain. Instead, Dortmund combined dangerously into the Munich penalty area, and Matthijs de Ligt blocked the shot from Marco Reus (7th) in dire need.
The Munich leadership came out of nowhere. Dayot Upamecano hit a harmless ball from deep inside his own half, but Kobel, who rushed out, missed the ball and, after a light touch, could only watch it roll into the goal. Dortmund was visibly knocked out as a result, Bayern discovered their joy in playing.
First Leon Goretzka (17th) failed within a few seconds free-standing against Kobel and a Dortmund defensive leg, but Bayern then converted the resulting corner ice-cold. De Ligt extended Joshua Kimmich’s cross to the far post, where Müller held his thigh in.
BVB only with result cosmetics
Just a little later, Kobel let a shot by Sané rebound forward, Müller had an easy time with his second goal. Munich then shifted down a few gears, but continued to dominate as they pleased and let the ball run through their own ranks to the cheers of the packed arena. Among other things, Coman (45th) could have made it 4-0 before the break, but slipped when trying to shoot.
In the second half, the Frenchman did better and, after strong preliminary work from Sané, used the final decision. Bayern had the game completely under control afterwards, Dortmund endured the storm runs without much resistance and was lucky that Müller (61st) or Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (63rd) did not further in the result screwed up the height.
In the final phase, the Munich team took things a little easier. Substitute Gnabry caused a penalty kick that Can converted. Then Malen met.