Thanks to a show of force, FC Bayern, which is severely weakened in terms of personnel but has an excellent tactical attitude, keeps in touch with league leaders Bayer Leverkusen. The record champions deservedly won the top game against VfB Stuttgart 3-0 (1-0) and also showed a strong reaction in the league a week after the debacle in Frankfurt.
Goal scorer Harry Kane (2nd, 55th) with his goals of the season 19 and 20 and Min-Jae Kim (63rd) rewarded the Munich team for an excellent tactical and playful performance. The previous surprise team from Stuttgart found no resistance against coach Thomas Tuchel’s team and suffered their fourth defeat of the season after their recent dominant performances.
“We always have to act like that, always be so courageous, do our jobs defensively,” said national player Leroy Sane on “SAT.1” and asked: “Did Stuttgart even have a chance to score? We played outstandingly, it has to continue like this.”
It was not for nothing that Tuchel spoke of a “big challenge” in the run-up to the summit. It was probably inconvenient for the 50-year-old that he had to completely reorganize his midfield. Both Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka were missing due to a flu-like infection, while Raphael Guerreiro and youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic moved into the starting line-up.
“Of course we would have wished it differently,” said Tuchel, who reassigned his midfield to three of five positions with the addition of Thomas Müller, before the game on “DAZN”: “But the team that is on the pitch, has our trust. I hope everyone is ready.”
His hope was confirmed after just 83 seconds. After a bad pass from Atakan Karazar, Müller quickly switched gears, Leroy Sane got the ball in front of Alexander Nübel who was rushing out and passed it across to Kane, who only had to push in. A dream start for Bayern.
VfB Stuttgart is biting its teeth at FC Bayern
VfB immediately tried to find an answer, but often acted too hectic and thus opened up space for Munich’s counterattack. However, Konrad Laimer (8th) aimed just as inaccurately as Maximilian Mittelstädt (16th) on the other side. The supposed 2-0 by Kim (25th) was also disallowed due to offside.
Stuttgart remained the slightly more active team with ball possession values around 70 percent. Bayern continued to rely on counterattacks – and were therefore significantly more dangerous than the guests. Sane (29th, 37th) as well as Kane and Jamal Musiala (45th) missed the best chances before another Bayern goal by Müller (45th + 2) was again ruled out for offside.
However, the Munich team did not let this deter them; the second half also produced a hardly changed picture. Stuttgart struggled against Bayern’s remarkably stable defensive block – and the home team once again got off to a perfect start. A free kick cross from Pavlovic was extended to the back post to Kane, who hit the empty net again. Kim’s debut goal made the decision.