With great difficulty, FC Bayern Munich averted another setback at feared opponents Borussia Mönchengladbach. A late goal from Mathys Tel (87th minute) gave the record champions their third win in their third game on Saturday evening with a 2-1 (0-1) win.
This was achieved through a show of strength in the second half against hard-fighting Borussia, who had taken the lead through Ko Itakura (30th minute). Leroy Sané (58th) and substitute Tel turned the game around after the break and made Bayern’s first win in over four years at Borussia Park perfect.
Unlike last week’s 3-0 loss to Leverkusen, Borussia coach Gerardo Seoane saw a passionately defending and fighting Gladbach team this time, which Bayern found hard to beat for a long time. Harry Kane remained largely ineffective, and world champion Thomas Müller’s first-time starting eleven this season had little effect. The 33-year-old was substituted again in the 69th minute. The offensive on Saturday was too unimaginative and harmless.
“It’s a bit thin, a bit little,” says Tuchel about the Bayern squad
After the end of the transfer period, the defensive was identified as a weak point for Bayern. Before the game on Sky, Thomas Tuchel was “very sad” that the planned commitment of defensive midfielder João Palhinha from Fulham FC had failed. “He’s thinner than before. It’s a little thin, a little less,” was the coach’s general assessment of the Bayern squad, who had also given up five defenders but only signed three.
The problem on Saturday, however, was rather the lack of penetrating power in attack. The passionate Borussia were only dangerous with set pieces. Marvin Friedrich headed the ball against the crossbar after a free kick (25′). Five minutes later, Itakura also headed Borussia ahead from a corner. Bayern’s fear of their feared opponent was palpable afterwards. Bayern only had their first real chance to score in the 39th minute when Sané shot the crossbar.
It was also the national player who equalized for Bayern after the break and overcame Gladbach’s reserve goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas for the first time. The 25-year-old was only making his second appearance in the Bundesliga as regular keeper and captain Jonas Omlin is currently out with a shoulder injury. Again and again Nicolas was the center of attention in the second round against angry Bayern attacking and partially parried brilliantly. It was significant that Bayern equalized after a corner.