DFB Cup
Bitter Bayern “pill” before the league duel against Borussia Dortmund
Bayern professionals Konrad Laimer, Min-jae Kim and Thomas Müller (lr) appear stunned after the game. photo
© Uwe Anspach/dpa
The triple is once again not possible for Bayern. Before the hit in Dortmund, the Tuchel team has to deal with the cup defeat in Saarbrücken – and look for alternatives for the defense.
The first title is already “gone” as soon as November arrives Thomas Tuchel stated with a blank look. In addition, there are injury concerns before the Bundesliga clash at Borussia Dortmund and the big question of where the Munich team’s strength has gone.
At FC Bayern, the cup embarrassment at 1. FC Saarbrücken is reminiscent of the difficult last season with the broken treble dreams, when in the end there was only a happy win of the championship. “Perhaps the classic is the perfect match to set things straight,” wrote Thomas Müller on Instagram.
Another early exit
After the 1:2 (1:1) draw of the star ensemble, which last won the DFB Cup in 2020, Tuchel patiently endured the many questions at the press conference to his coaching colleague Rüdiger Ziehl from 1. FC Saarbrücken. What does he have to accuse his team of Marcel Gaus’ goal in stoppage time on that memorable Wednesday evening in front of almost 16,000 spectators in Ludwigspark? “We have already said in the dressing room that it is not a time to point fingers at each other, not a time to question everything,” said Tuchel after the third second-round exit in four years. “Unfortunately it won’t be our last defeat in all of our football lives.”
Former world champion Müller immediately criticized his teammates for their behavior towards their own fans after the final whistle. “We will also discuss this internally, why our fans are rightly angry, regardless of the game. We have to show a different face so that we show our fans the necessary respect when they crowd the block here away from home,” said Müller the ARD. He later apologized explicitly to the Bayern supporters on his Instagram account.
Müller: “Anything other than our claim”
In addition to Müller, only a few players went to the fans who had traveled with them and thanked them for their support. “It’s a brutal blow for us that we’re eliminated in the second round of the cup every year,” complained Müller: “Of course that’s anything but what we want.”
However, Bayern were extremely courteous towards the Saarbrücken players in the stadium catacombs: Leroy Sané took plenty of time to chat with Lukas Boeder, whom he knows from his youth at Schalke, and got FCS keeper Tim Schreiber Manuel’s long-awaited jersey Newer. Serge Gnabry gave the injured Patrick Schmidt another shirt. Kai Brünker was also hoping for such a souvenir. Munich’s team manager Kathleen Krüger waved the hesitant Saarbrücken player towards the cabin: “Come on, dare!”
Bayern before a duel between their long-term rivals
Tuchel was much more concerned about the fact that his team “had problems adapting to the aggressive style of play” against the outsiders. Before the hit on Saturday (6.30 p.m. / Sky) at long-term rivals in Dortmund, the star coach, who came in for Julian Nagelsmann in the spring, is also worried about the personnel situation. After weeks of problems in the sparse central defense, the Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt suffered another knee injury. “We hope it’s nothing structural,” said Tuchel. “We have to find a solution to be able to survive against Dortmund.” It is possible that Noussair Mazraoui (ill) and Leon Goretzka (broken metacarpal) can be back.
After all, despite leaders Bayer Leverkusen’s two-point lead, Bayern are doing well in the league with 23 out of 27 possible points and 34:7 goals in nine games and in the Champions League with three wins. Müller and Co. first have to shake off the memorable football evening in Saarland.