Manuel Neuer
One expects something provocative from a native of Gelsenkirchen in a game in Dortmund, but when there was a heated argument early in the game on the pitch, Neuer ran past the discussants and got the ball. He was just as focused throughout the game – until to the supposedly decisive chance in which he sat in front of Anthony Modeste and the BVB attacker failed. But when Modeste scored in added time, Neuer was in the net with the ball.
Benjamin Pavard
Had a lot to do as a right-back, because Dortmund, who are notorious for their speed in attack, mostly tried it down the left flank. However, Pavard often faced or threw himself against the attacks before they could become dangerous. In the last half hour he even defended his desired position in the middle. But with the central defense made up of him and Dayot Upamecano, Munich lost two points in the end.
Dayot Upamecano
Did a lot right for a long time. Concentrated on defending and often got a foot in the way with athletics, sometimes with acrobatics when Dortmund made it into the dangerous zone. But in the final phase, in which BVB gradually pushed for an equalizer, he didn’t give the team any security either.
Matthijs de Ligt
Saw the yellow card early, maybe that’s why he wasn’t seen in the infight quite as often as Upamecano, but no less confidently. Substituted after an hour due to injury – and maybe that was disastrous.
Alphonso Davies
Started the game with a misplaced pass and it went on similarly: if he had space for offensive actions on the left side, he rarely managed to get there. Shortly before the break, however, it was no longer about his performance, but about his health: Davies was hit in the face by Bellingham with his foot – and replaced.
Marcel Sabitzer
Played a few bad passes, which is rarely a good idea as a central build-up player. It didn’t necessarily quiet the game. But maybe that’s why Kimmich was substituted at half-time because he saw the yellow card in the second minute.
Leon Goretzka
What the former Schalke Neuer didn’t do, the former Schalke Goretzka did all the more: discussed, ran, bumped into each other. He was constantly moving between the penalty areas, as is his way – and with his goal to make it 1-0 he was finally the most conspicuous Munich player on the pitch. At least as long as it looked like a Munich victory.
Leroy Sane
Doesn’t like playing down the right flank in attack and at the beginning it seemed to be a game where you could tell. But then he was there when it mattered and he had enough space in front of the penalty area to score to make it 2-0.
Jamal Musiala
It’s hard to overlook how important the 19-year-old is for Bayern, even in the most important games like this one. Once, in the first half, he found himself in his own half with one of his typical ball acceptances, which were directed in the direction of the game from the first contact – and he already initiated an attack with which the Munich team came into Dortmund’s penalty area. Assisted both goals. However, in a good final position, he missed making it 3-0.
Sadio Mane
Similar to Sané in the first half, initially rather cautious, but then decisively involved in the 1-0 with a pass with the hoe. Maybe it’s also due to the big fanfare with which Bayern introduced him as an addition in the summer, but: He still doesn’t seem quite like the player who makes the difference this season. In the second half, he was rarely seen even as the foremost striker.
Serge Gnabry
Serge Gnabry was seen much less frequently in the first half, and it was the Munich international who was most reminiscent of the phase with four games without a win in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Gnabry was fouled once and was offside once, those were his offensive actions.
substitute
It’s rare for Julian Nagelsmann to make three changes at half-time, but it was plausible: Josip Stanisic came for the injured Davies, Joshua Kimmich for the weak and yellow-loaded Sabitzer, Kingsley Coman for the weak Gnabry. First of all, Kimmich’s substitution was noticeable, after all, he’s always the boss when he’s on the pitch. Stanisic was rarely able to follow the fast Adeyemi, which contributed to the turbulent final phase. Coman only noticed when he saw yellow-red after a tactical foul shortly before the end – that was also decisive for the game. Noussair Mazraoui, who came on for De Ligt, completed the uncoordinated Bayern back four and was just as disoriented as the rest of the defense when it came to equalizing. Less crucial: Eric Maxim Choupo-Motingwho came on for Sadio Mané.