Bayern Munich 5-1 RB Leipzig: Initial Observations and Reactions

Full-time Observations

• Alphonso Davies is the best left-back in the world. There are a few players who are close, but his form and natural athleticism are unmatched. Bayern needs to go back to the strategy of selling the future with Davies right next to Musiala.
• Leroy Sané’s finishing is abysmal. He finally snuck one by Gulácsi, but could have easily scored a hat trick tonight. Whether at Bayern or elsewhere, Sané’s next contract will remain in limbo until he can be more consistent in the final third.
• Konrad Laimer was the proverbial stork this week, delivering his first child and first Bundesliga goal for Bayern. Laimer did not hesitate to celebrate against his former club, screaming directly in the cameraman’s face.
• The victory celebration was temporarily overshadowed by Benjamin Henrichs’ non-contact injury that required a stretcher. A brutal night all around for Marco Rose’s side.

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FT: BAYERN WINS!!!

86’: Substitution. Thomas Müller replaces Harry Kane.

82’: Substitutions. Mathys Tel, Eric Dier, and Raphaël Guerreiro replace Michael Olise, Kim Min-Jae, and Alphonso Davies. David Raum and Lukas Klostermann replace Arthur Vermeeren and Lutsharel Geertruida.

82’: Yellow card. Joshua Kimmich takes down André Silva on the break.

78’: GOAL! Bayern leads 5-1. Joshua Kimmich provides a perfect cross to Alphonso Davies for the header.

75’: GOAL! Bayern up 4-1. Leroy Sané beats Gulácsi. Imagine that is a big relief for Sané.

74’: Substitutions. André Silva and Kevin Kampl replace Benjamin Šeško and Xavier Schlager.

68’: Substitution. Aleksandar Pavlović replaces Konrad Laimer. Kimmich moves to right-back.

67’: A quick turnover gives Harry Kane a golden opportunity, but his blast ricochets off Gulácsi’s hands.

64’: Yellow card. Konrad Laimer picks up a booking for a foul that eliminated a Leipzig player from the counterattack.

59’: Double yellow cards. Benjamin Henrichs fouls Kimmich. Kane gets in his face to show his displeasure, earning his own booking.

56’: Yellow card. Michael Olise is booked for a late challenge from behind.

53’: Leroy Sané gets on the end of a cross, but can’t get the touch on target. He’s done a lot of hard work today but has zero confidence inside the box.

50’: Leon Goretzka’s breakaway attempt is foiled, but Musiala’s left-footed shot earns another corner. Stoppage in play for fans throwing trash on the pitch.

49’: Bayern pick up where they left off. Kim Min-jae’s glancing header goes just wide.

46’: Tweet! The second half begins.

Halftime Observations

• The two best defenses in the Bundesliga each conceded a simple goal in the first two minutes. By the third minute, both teams shook off the cobwebs and started playing like professionals again.
• Bayern played very direct and vertical while Leipzig was more passive. Leipzig’s counterattack was nonexistent, either by design or inability.
• Jamal Musiala is dropping deeper in the buildup and even displaying some physicality on the defensive side of the ball. His maturation into a complete player is more impressive with each performance.
• Konrad Laimer and Michael Olise look more comfortable with each other, in terms of spacing and overlapping runs. It culminated in the go-ahead goal from Laimer.
• Loïs Openda plays more like a Brazilian than a Belgian. He’s so fluid and creative. The quick turn on Kim Min-jae in the 2nd minute was brilliant and he delivered an easy ball for Šeško.

HT: Bayern 3-1 Leipzig.

36’: GOAL, BAYERN!!! Joshua Kimmich’s knuckle ball beats an outstretched Gulácsi.

27’: Yellow card. Xavier Schlager commits a foul in the final third.

25’: GOAL, BAYERN!! Bayern up 2-1. Konrad Laimer’s give-and-go with Michael Olise ends in the back of the net. This is Laimer’s first Bundesliga goal of the season.

20’: Yellow card. Upamecano’s late challenge earns him a booking. This is his fifth yellow card of the season which means he will be suspended for the January 11th match against Gladbach.

13’: Leon Goretzka’s deflected shot barely clears the crossbar. Bayern pushing hard for a go-ahead goal.

10’: Musiala’s header has good power but hit straight at the keeper.

10’: After the whirlwind start, both teams have settled in to play an actual professional match.

2’: Goal, Leipzig. Tied 1-1. Bayern’s defense caught napping, Benjamin Šeško easily scores.

1’: GOAL!!! Bayern up, 1-0. Kimmich with the steal, Kane with the flick, Olise with the pass, Musiala with the finish.

1’: Here we go, Bayern, here we go!

Great news for Bayern, as Harry Kane and Alphonso Davies have recovered ahead of schedule. Leon Goretzka will start over Aleksandar Pavlović in the midfield. Everything else is business as usual.

Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig would love to finish the year with a bang, but it feels more like both teams will limp across the finish line. Injuries have ravaged both squads and the three week winter break cannot come soon enough. Bayern won the last matchup 2-1 at the Allianz Arena but failed to defeat Leipzig in the previous four attempts.

Odds: Bayern (-500), Draw (+650), Opponent (+1000), Over/Under 3.5 goals

Prediction: Bayern wins, 2-1. In the 25th minute, Harry Kane’s first touch of the game is a panenka penalty kick. Right before halftime, Loïs Openda juggles the ball through Bayern’s entire defense, lays on the ground, and heads the ball in from the prone position. In the 73rd minute, Alphonso Davies nutmegs four different Leipzig players before he rips a right-footed rocket for the game winner.

It’s Bayern time.

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Match Info

Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany

Time: 8:30 pm local time, 2:30 pm EST

TV/streaming: ESPN+, Find Your Country

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