FC Bayern Munich suffered a bankruptcy against RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga. It could have been the decisive defeat in the title fight.
In the top game of matchday 33 in the Munich Arena, Leipzig won 3-1 in front of 75,000 spectators. Serge Gnabry (25th minute) put Munich in the lead, Konrad Laimer (65th), Christopher Nkunku (76th) and Dominik Szoboszlai (86th) scored for the Saxons.
In the table, FCB is just one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund. BVB can take over the top of the table with a win at FC Augsburg on Sunday. The Leipzig remain third with 63 points, but have a place in the Champions League before the last matchday.
In the second half, RB “a better feeling” get for the game. “We attacked together, won good balls, then had good transition situations and then scored the goals cold as ice, which is important. And then we didn’t win undeservedly 3-1.”said Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer: “It was a lot of happiness.”
Tuchel: “I have no explanation”
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel was at a loss. “I can’t explain how something like this can happen. We’re coming from a good phase. I see the team training, I see the energy, I see the spirit, the quality of training.”said Tuchel: “When you play so far below your own level and the level keeps dropping, you have a hard time winning games.”
Bayern only 30 minutes better
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel called national player Leon Goretzka into the starting XI. Leroy Sané was therefore on the bench. Leipzig had to do without Timo Werner. The national striker was absent after a cold. André Silva started for him.
It was an intense game from the start. Bayern had more possession and therefore more control, but Leipzig also played well. It took until the 17th minute for the first really good chance to score. Bayern’s Kingsley Coman got through nicely on the right and crossed into the middle, where Goretzka didn’t hit the ball properly. Shortly thereafter, Thomas Müller appeared free in front of Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich after a fine pass from Joao Cancelo and forwarding by Jamal Musiala, but he remained calm.
Nevertheless: Bayern got stronger and Leipzig only reacted. It happened in the 25th minute. Again it went over the left side, where Cancelo harmonized splendidly with Müller. He then passed to Gnabry, who quickly moved into the penalty area and finished with a powerful shot to the near corner. A little later, after a pass into Coman’s back room, Musiala only hit the outside set.
Leipzig comes into play better before the break
Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer got something to do for the first time in the 34th minute. The Swiss national goalkeeper parried a long-range shot by Dominik Szoboszlai. Bayern simply hadn’t clarified a cross well enough.
For Leipzig it was the start of a short Sturm und Drang period, because a little later Nkunku and Dani Olmo also had good chances to equalize, but each failed due to Sommer.
Bayern resolved all of this by playing more forwards themselves. First Coman headed wide and unhindered a header, then Musiala failed with a shot at Blaswich. Bayern went into the break with a deserved, albeit narrow, lead.
FC Bayern gives up the game
The second half got off to a slow start. Both teams acted at eye level and neutralized each other. All of this, of course, at a high level. It was the two lines of defense that determined the game.
Bayern can be accused of not showing more initiative at this stage of the season and in view of the championship to go for the second goal and the preliminary decision. Instead, the balance fell. After a corner for Bayern, Leipzig set up an attack-like counterattack, which Laimer completed at the end.
“ripped off looks different”, said Thomas Müller when he was asked about the counterattack to make it 1-1 after his own corner kick. In general, the second half “very weak” been from Bayern: “We built RB with our own mistakes, but we have to put up with the blow now.” He sees no reason to give up: “Dortmund have to win both games, I want to see that first.” He feels that “there’s still something going on”.
Two penalties for Leipzig
Bayern lost control after equalizing. Benjamin Pavard fouled Nkunku in the penalty area in the 74th minute, referee Deniz Aytekin pointed to the spot and the Frenchman converted himself (76′).
And worse was to come. In the 85th minute, Aytekin pointed to the spot again, Noussair Mazraoui had grabbed the ball and this time Dominik Szoboszlai converted confidently. Confused and shocked, Bayern were no longer able to turn the game around.
Leipzig welcomes Schalke, Bayern in Cologne
On Matchday 34, Leipzig will face FC Schalke 04 in their own stadium (Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Bavaria is also a guest in Cologne.