It's getting boring with that one. FC Bayern Not actually. Three days after the embarrassment at the Ostalb in Heidenheim (2-3), the German record champions fulfilled in London Perhaps the best game of the season for Arsenal FC. Still not enough to win – but that's irrelevant for now.
Bayern reacts to the low blows of recent weeks. But Bayern continues to show its “human” side. A vulnerable and imperfect side. A team that we had not seen in this team for eleven years.
Absurd Bayern: debacle against Heidenheim, better performance against Arsenal
The match against Arsenal highlights this phenomenon. Struggling Bayern starts shaky and insecure against one of the strongest teams in the world today. As expected, where will the necessary self-confidence come from? And who trusts them? English Do the league leaders even reach the semi-finals of the Champions League? There are more skeptics than believers around the great club, about which there is otherwise so little to doubt.
The “Gunners” dominate the initial phase. Gabriel Martinelli has a first chance (8th), Alphonso Davies, initially stiff, quickly sees a warning (9th), then Bukayo Saka scores the well-deserved first goal (13th), Ben White immediately makes it 2-0 (16th). Bayern are swimming and the behavior of the players suggests something bad.
But football is unpredictable, inexplicable and unpredictable. Like the current Bavarians.
A scene turns the match against Arsenal upside down
After a save by Gabriel, the Munich team equalized with a three-man combination: Leroy Sané, Leon Goretzka and scorer Serge Gnabry. The 1:1, however undeserved it may be at the moment, changes the game and the appearance of the Bavarian guests at the Emirates Stadium in London. One scene changes everything.
Leroy Sané's solo run before the 2-1 victory is probably symbolic of this change. However, Prime expert Benedikt Höwedes identified a completely different player for this live in-game observation. “It was noticeable from the first moment that Bayern did not enter the field with the greatest confidence in themselves,” the former world champion began. “But you can see how individual situations, such as individual duels or even goals, can turn everything upside down and how duels are suddenly carried out, also by Goretzka, who suddenly has a completely different body language. That makes a big difference”.
In sport it is always fascinating how essential factors such as self-confidence, drive or simply luck are, and how these factors are at the same time so incomprehensible and unanalyzable.
FC Bayern sends an important signal
For Bayern, the performance and the result against Arsenal is an important sign. After the early elimination from the cup, the loss of the championship and the recent series of bankruptcies, an apocalyptic atmosphere reigned on Säbener Straße. The team was especially challenged after the 2-3 draw against the newly promoted team. “What happened on Saturday was unacceptable,” forward Harry Kane said shortly after the game on Prime. “We had to show a reaction. We had to show passion, that's what we did,” said the scorer of the goal to make it 2-1.
Manager Thomas Tuchel had demanded dedication and passion before the match and should get the response from his players. Davies, the defender who was warned early on and had the initial problems, really got into the game and fought sacrificially against the lively Saka. His colleague Gnabry continues to help behind the team until his body can't take it anymore.
Sammer enthuses: “My heart laughed”
So the disappointment of Arsenal wildcard Leandro Trossard's late equalizer (76th) is not so great. Although Bayern “could have won,” as Tuchel summed it up, he congratulated his players with relief and laughter immediately after the final whistle. What a burden must have been lifted from the much criticized coach.
Expert Matthias Sammer immediately felt compelled to make Prime to defend the outgoing coach. “Today we must praise our German coach, who has taken such a beating. Tuchel has achieved a tactical masterpiece. We can always praise other coaches from other countries. We should also praise him. It was probably the best performance of the season. That was a world-class game, my heart laughed.”
Yes, football. It makes the heart smile. Bayern makes hearts smile. Some out of joy for the long-awaited crisis. The other is glad that what is probably the biggest achievement of the season is still possible. And others because they continue to be unpredictable and unanalyzable. What more could you ask for on a Champions League night?