FC Bayern easily surmounted the Berlin defensive wall and are heading into the league’s second winter break as leaders with a six-point cushion. Corentin Tolisso (25th minute), Thomas Müller (45th), Leroy Sané (74th) and Serge Gnabry (79th) scored the goals on Sunday to make the superior leaders 4-1 (2-0) against after their derby -Brupt unsuccessfully focused on damage limitation Hertha. Thanks to several saves by goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, the Berliners did not concede a Bavarian five-pack like in the first leg. Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (80th) scored the late Berlin goal.
“It’s really fun to be back on the pitch,” said Joshua Kimmich at Dazn: “We controlled it for 90 minutes.” In terms of health, he was “completely fine again,” emphasized the national player, who was playing in the center again this time. Looking ahead to the next few weeks, he said: “We need a few more games like this, then there will be a good feeling and self-confidence.”
With the returnees Lucas Hernandez and Kingsley Coman as well as Sané, who was in the starting eleven for the first time after his corona infection, the Munich team dominated the entire game in front of 3000 people in the Olympic Stadium. Hertha, in its currently precarious condition, was unable to fulfill the faint hopes of Borussia Dortmund as Bayern’s last pursuer for a Munich misstep. The Berliners go as table 13. with only three points ahead of the relegation rank in the two-week break. After that, points must be scored urgently against VfL Bochum and SpVgg Greuther Fürth.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann can only think offensively
“We want to be brave,” said Hertha coach Tayfun Korkut. With the Berliners, it looked like eight to nine players in two chains closed the spaces a maximum of 30 meters in front of their own goal. In the back row, Linus Gechter, 17, and Marton Dardai, 19, played two teenagers against the power storm around Robert Lewandowski after the failures of Niklas Stark and Jordan Torunarigha. Sané, Serge Gnabry and Co. had to feel like they did in the patience game with the German national team against the ultra-defensive Liechtenstein.
The Berlin defence, still crumbling in the 2:3 in the derby against 1. FC Union on Wednesday, was at least temporarily solid thanks to this Korkut measure. Goalkeeper Schwolow also saved against Müller (8th), Sané (12th) and Coman (16th). However, this tactic did not work out in the long run. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann remained undefeated against Hertha in the 13th duel. He could think purely offensively and left it with Niklas Süle as the only permanent defender. Joshua Kimmich did not have to help out again as a right-back and was able to boost in midfield.
The Hertha attacks were manageable. Ishak Belfodil (21st) kept goalkeeper Manuel Neuer moving with a header. The Munich team also had plenty of chances between the goals scored from close range by Tolisso and Müller. The game between Katz (Munich) and Maus (Berlin) continued in the second half. Sané (47th), Gnabry (49th/61st) and Müller (65th) had the best chances.
Vladimir Darida (51st) missed the possible appearance of tension at the biggest Hertha opportunity. Sané used the only Schwolow mistake to score the third goal, Gnabry followed up before Ekkelenkamp took advantage of a Munich inattention. The Berlin fans took it ironically for a long time and sang: “Here we go”.