After the win against Gladbach, Bayern are warming up for the top game. Neuer and Tuchel are aggressive, 500-win man Müller dares to tip – and the boss distributes the role of favorite.
With loud cheers, record winner Thomas Müller was celebrated in the Bayern dressing room after the next milestone in his professional career.
“Quiet for once! Thomas has another new trophy – 500 wins,” said captain Manuel Neuer, before giving his long-time companion a framed red and white jersey with the imprint “to applause and wild cheers” after the tough 3-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Müller presented 500 Wins, as seen in a social media video.
However, Müller doesn’t want to hang up the memento at home. “I hope they still have room in the museum,” joked the Bayern veteran after the fantastic club record. “I’m not a fan of all the anniversaries, just because there are perhaps a round number of competitive game wins. But the feeling of victory is the nice thing,” explained Müller.
Now against the unbeaten Leverkusen team
Victory number 501 in the top Bundesliga game next Saturday against the still undefeated league leaders Bayer Leverkusen would flood Müller with a lot more happiness hormones. “What makes me happy is the situation that we can go to the top of the table with a win,” said Müller. He was already hooked on the weekend: “Football Germany can be happy!”
“Homework done,” exulted coach Thomas Tuchel after a dress rehearsal, which doesn’t have to cause Bayer any fears of vice-presidents. Winning will continue to be difficult for Bayern in the new year. Nothing seems easy. Exciting football with Tuchel’s signature can only be seen in very small amounts. Müller said it was “the work victory category” again.
Bayern keeper looks forward to “highlight game”
Neuer still looked aggressively ahead to the big title showdown. “We like highlight games like this,” said the national goalkeeper. “Now it’s different than in the past that we are the hunters. Of course we want to change that, if possible with three points in Leverkusen. Everyone who wears the Bayern jersey is waiting for these games. That’s in the Champions League like that, that’s the case in most games against Dortmund. And a duel like this with Leverkusen, where they are having a very good season, is a big highlight for us that we’re looking forward to,” said Neuer’s Mia-san-mia -Announcement.
The fact that the Munich star ensemble, which is suffering from repeated failures, is having difficulty getting up to speed is irrelevant to the 37-year-old Neuer. “No matter what the results were beforehand, a lot of things don’t count in games like this. Momentum decides.” And “the better form on the day,” added the Bayern leader.
Against Gladbach it was “an okay performance against a difficult opponent,” as Tuchel noted. And a game with several protagonists, especially Müller. He was involved in the first three goals. During Nico Elvedi’s opening goal for Gladbach, the 34-year-old was unfortunate when he lost the ball. Müller prepared the 1-1 goal from youngster Aleksander Pavlovic, who is increasingly playing his way into the spotlight, with a buttery-soft pass. And before Harry Kane’s 2-1 header, Müller provoked the decisive mistake by Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas in the air fight. When Matthijs de Ligt made it 3-1 late, Müller was no longer on the pitch.
“Great person, great player. To have 500 career wins for a club is very special,” said Kane admiringly. The striker himself scored his 24th goal of the season. Only the HSV legend Uwe Seeler, who was unknown to him and died in 2022, scored more goals in his first year in the Bundesliga, namely 30. “Okay, if I continue as I have been, it is a possibility,” said the Englishman about improving Seeler’s Brand.
Meanwhile, Tuchel had “no words” after full-back Alphonso Davies injured his knee this time and was in danger of missing out against Leverkusen with a medial ligament strain. Tuchel in turn addressed clear words to Sky expert Dietmar Hamann, who had massively angered the coach and also the Bayern bosses with an unfounded interpretation of Tuchel’s statements during a visit to the fan club. “We were all shocked at what he made of it,” said Tuchel. He rejected Hamann’s apology: “I don’t believe him.” Tuchel and Hamann will no longer be good friends.
FC Bayern with title claims
Before the top game and the exciting coaching duel with Xabi Alonso, Tuchel also sent clear words to the Rhineland: “We will go to Leverkusen with the very clear goal of inflicting their first defeat on them and overtaking them.”
CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen also reiterated Munich’s claim to become champions for the twelfth time in a row. “It’s an incredible excitement that two clubs are currently doing so well.” Regarding the role of favorites, the Munich boss said: “I wouldn’t necessarily see us as favorites. We are now in the role of pursuer. So it’s clear who the favorite is.” But, says Dreesen: “We feel quite comfortable with that.”
500-win man Müller also ventured a prediction. “I don’t think any team will win 4-0.” When asked at the end whether he hoped that Thomas Müller experience was needed in the top game and whether Coach Tuchel also saw it that way, he replied in typical fashion: “I think it works without it – but I would try it.”