Munich (dpa) – first against last – a greater drop is no longer possible for the badly weakening Bayern stars.
After the surprising 2: 4 disaster in Bochum and the almost flop in the 1: 1 in the Champions League against Red Bull Salzburg, the home game this Sunday (3.30 p.m. / DAZN) against the strengthened, but always in the Bundesliga still suspended relegation candidates SpVgg Greuther Fürth an explosiveness that was not considered possible a week ago.
Julian Nagelsmann gave his professionals a clear order: “In the end it’s about delivering in the next games!” the coach spoke several times of “the short-term nature” that is now the focus of all measures. He left open whether he would change staff, but indicated it. Serge Gnabry (muscular problems) and Kingsley Coman (calf) are injured. After all: Jamal Musiala was tested after Corona. Neuer, Goretzka and Davies are still out.
Leader meets tail light
In the unequal test of strength of the Bundesliga Croesus with the low-budget promoted from Franconia, who improved greatly in the second half of the season, Lewandowski, Sané, Süle and Co. should “radiate Bayern Munich” again on the grass of the Allianz Arena, which is again filled with up to 25,000 spectators. , as Nagelsmann demands.
The Munich are annoyed after a previous week to forget. “The mood is appropriate for the fact that we didn’t win twice,” reported Nagelsmann. But he doesn’t want to dramatize the situation. “It’s important that you don’t bang everything into the pan. We mustn’t start tearing ourselves apart and being miserable. Everything was fine before Bochum,” he recalled.
There have never been two competitive games in a row without a win in Nagelsmann’s short era in Munich. This situation also challenges the coach. “You worry a bit more about getting back on track,” he admitted. In any case, the people of Fürth are ready to fight: “I’m not afraid of anything. It would be bad if we approached the game in Munich with fear,” said coach Stefan Leitl: “I hope that we’ll give it our all from the first minute.”
Fürth fights for relegation
The climber is no longer considered a sparring partner in 2022. In five games, the Fürth have already scored more points (8) than in the entire first half of the season (5). And only one less than the big Bavarians. Nagelsmann mentioned another statistical value: “In the second half of the season, they allowed one less chance than we did.” And they also allowed one goal less than the Munich wobbly defense.
After Salzburg, national player Joshua Kimmich called for improvements in two areas in particular: “We have to be better in the rest of the defense. And we need more control of the game.” Nagelsmann does not want to “move away” from the offensive-risky orientation with high pressing. The “flow” that Kimmich missed in the new year may also be due to the fact that the Munich players build up their form through a high rhythm of competition.
“In the last few weeks we’ve been waiting a bit. I like it when there are a lot of appointments,” said Thomas Müller. For Nagelsmann, that’s definitely an approach: “The suspense isn’t so extreme when there are five or six days between games. For footballers, playing is always nicer than training,” he said. In the end, however, it’s all a question of mental state: “Football is generally a head game and is often decided in the head.”