Bayern's Brutal Domination over BVB
With fire still burning in their hearts following their cup setback, Bayern Munich sent a message to Borussia Dortmund, distancing themselves temporarily in the Bundesliga standings. Just three days after the shocking loss to 1. FC Saarbrücken on the third division, the champions thumped their rivals 4-0 (2-0) in a display of dominance in front of an energized crowd of 81,365 spectators. The victory saw Bayern remain two points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
From the get-go, Bayern, seemingly still seething from their recent defeat, took charge. Center-back Dayot Upamecano, fresh from his return after weeks on the sidelines due to injury, headed home Leroy Sané's corner from close range, with both Nico Schlotterbeck and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel seemingly losing track of the situation. The early goal gave the visitors a significant boost, and they went on to expand their lead.
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, in his tenth Bundesliga game, bagged a brace, finishing off a well-worked team effort involving Leon Goretzka and Sané in the first half, and later completing his hat-trick with a late goal (90+3). Bayern's possession game struggled at times, with Goretzka attempting a 'Rafael Nadal-esque' chip against Kobel (36'), and BVB also failed to mount a substantial threat in attack, with Niclas Füllkrug and Marco Reus struggling.
Following the break, Dortmund's coach Edin Terzic introduced Niklas Süle, replacing Marius Wolf, but could not turn the tide in favor of his side. Jamal Musiala narrowly missed a clear-cut chance while Dortmund applied increased pressure, with Reus just failing to beat Manuel Neuer and Kobel saving from Sane (56'), in a game that intensified as BVB increasingly took risks, especially in the wake of Upamecano's substitution.
The decisive moment, however, came courtesy of Kane, who asserted himself once again, slotting home yet another goal to seal the victory for his side.
On the heels of the win, Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann commended Thomas Müller's - a key member of 'Die Roten' - contribution in their offensive forays against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Interestingly, coach Thomas Tuchel's absence from Dortmund's bench, coupled with their struggle against Bayern seemed a déjà vu of their meeting during Tuchel's debut season at Dortmund, when they succumbed to a loss in Munich.
As the Bundesliga reaches the midpoint, Bayern Munich's enthusiastic forward, Thomas Müller, along with his teammates, now set their sights on closing the gap with top-ranked Bayer Leverkusen, with crucial showdowns against rivals BVB scheduled in the near future.
[Enrichment Data]: In the previous encounter on Matchday 12 of the 2023-24 Bundesliga season, on November 30, 2024, FC Bayern Munich drew against Borussia Dortmund 1-1. Bayern's lead at the top of the league however, remained unchallenged with an eight-point lead after closest title contenders Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 against Wolfsburg.
