Bundesliga
Fear opponent Gladbach? Nagelsmann wants an answer on the pitch
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann coaches his players during a game. photo
© Bernd Thissen/dpa
Who should stop Bayern’s super starter – if not Gladbach? The league hopes for Borussia. In Munich, however, they do not know any feared opponents. Nagelsmann deals with the “spoiled for choice” in the starting XI.
Julian Nagelsmann got big ears when it came to “fearful opponents”. “I’ve been waiting for the question to come up,” said the Bayern Munich coach.
He had previously had 20 minutes in detail about the “top game” against Borussia Mönchengladbach, the young star Jamal Musiala, who was highly praised by Lothar Matthäus as the new Lionel Messi, his “spoiled for choice” in the line-up for Saturday and exciting Champions League evenings against Robert Lewandowski and his new club FC Barcelona.
“Angry opponent” Gladbach? No, not for Nagelsmann – and also not for his brutally strong and goal-hungry stars who started the season and are hot for the next spectacle in their own stadium. “In the end, it doesn’t really matter how I answer it, whether it’s sober, humble or bold,” said Nagelsmann. To then add: “The answer will be available on Saturday evening at 6.30 p.m. Our players are not afraid of any opponent, not even Gladbach.” It sounded like a threat.
Duel of the first against the second
Bayern versus Gladbach – the 50-year-old classic between the permanent champion and the five-time champion meets all the requirements for a great duel as a duel first against second. Especially since Borussia has repeatedly annoyed and wounded the Munich ensemble around goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller in recent years – not only in the 5-0 gala a year ago in the DFB Cup.
Borussia coach Daniel Farke was also asked in his press conference about the “fearful opponent” topic and did not go into it too much. “Oh, I don’t want that at all. I also don’t think that Bayern Munich is afraid of Borussia Mönchengladbach, even though we’ve had one or two positive results in the past,” said the new Borussia coach, who is responsible for the foal Team obviously reinvigorated and re-inspired.
On the fourth day of the game, Gladbach is the last hope in the league to stop Bayern going it alone. Record national player Lothar Matthäus, who played for both clubs, does not believe in another coup by his Borussia. “Answered quite objectively, no – the way Bayern performs,” said Matthäus (61) on Friday: “Bayern are the clear favorites. I’m betting on a clear victory.”
Farke: “You should never play football in fear”
Farke is also aware of his Borussia’s role as an outsider. “Bayern Munich is currently the strongest and hottest team in Europe. So far, no team has been able to stand up to this team,” emphasized the 45-year-old. But you want to be brave. “You should never play football in fear,” said Farke – and certainly not as a media-appointed Bayern fear opponent.
For the Munich team, the hottest price question before kick-off is who Nagelsmann will send onto the pitch at the start of the bat-on-bat weeks with a maximum of 20 Bayern games until the long World Cup break in mid-November. “It’s not that easy to choose the first eleven,” admitted the 35-year-old: “I’m spoiled for choice.”
Alphonso Davies is fit and returning to the back line. For this, one of the three central defenders Matthijs de Ligt, Dayot Upamecano or Lucas Hernández has to give way. The internationals Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry also want to be back in the starting XI after the recent 7-0 win in Bochum. Although Nagelsmann hesitates when it comes to super youngster Musiala. The 19-year-old trained again after adductor problems, but “still has slight problems,” said the coach.
Matthew compares Musiala to Messi
Musiala became the hot topic in the run-up to football expert Matthäus. He compared the youngster’s style of play to that of multiple world footballer Lionel Messi. “He reminds me a bit of Messi,” said Matthäus. “Lionel has of course played at an extremely high level for many years. Jamal still has to prove that,” said Nagelsmann about Matthäus’ statement. And: “I trust him.”
According to Matthäus, Musiala has “the potential to become a world footballer”. He could “become Robert Lewandowski’s successor, not now, not the day after tomorrow,” said Matthäus – but at some point. Nagelsmann also had something to say about Lewandowski and the upcoming Champions League duels with FC Barcelona: “I expected it,” he said about the draw and the reunion with Lewy.
The “most demanding group” with Barça, Inter Milan and Viktoria Pilsen was caught, Nagelsmann judged: Instead of “Losgruppe Glück” it was called “murder group” this time. And Nagelsmann has “already made my film in his head” to see Lewandowski again. But first of all there is the football classic against Gladbach.