A week before the Leipzig duel: Bayern 4: 4 against Salzburg
A week before the Leipzig duel: Bayern 4: 4 against Salzburg
A week before the league duel in Leipzig, FC Bayern is playing a high-scoring test match against RB Salzburg. Munich’s only winter test ended 4:4. Is there movement in the goalkeeper question?
Bn the debut of newcomer Daley Blind, FC Bayern Munich delivered a high-scoring winter test with Red Bull Salzburg.
A week before the tricky away game against RB Leipzig, Munich drew 4: 4 (1: 1) from the Austrian champions in the dress rehearsal and prevented at least one defeat after being 1: 3 behind. In front of over 2000 spectators FC Bayern Campus, Leroy Sané (9th minute), Arijon Ibrahimovic (69th), Kingsley Coman (71st) and Mathys Tel (88th) scored the goals for the German record champion, who had to do without numerous stars. Sékou Koïta (17′), Karim Konaté (50′) and Noah Okafor (54’/89′) scored for the visitors.
“A friendly after the training camp is always a bit thankless,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann. “We had a lot of energy in the last 30 minutes, more than the 45 before.”
A day after returning from the training camp in Qatar, Nagelsmann sent out a selection that will largely be the starting lineup in Leipzig. Matthijs de Ligt (ankle problems), who missed the test due to injury, Leon Goretzka (Load management) and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (malaise) are likely to die, unlike the many long-term injuries around the captain Manuel Neuer (Broken leg) then be options again.
The Munich team is still trying hard to find a new assignment. New movement is said to have come into the tough poker around Mönchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer (34). Before the test, Nagelsmann had pointed out the “duty” to get another goalkeeper – and did so after the final whistle.
Against Salzburg, Sven Ulreich, who was cheered by the fans with chants (“Ulle for Germany”) and the goals conceded, was not to blame other than his defensive line. In the last half hour, Johannes Schenk was allowed between the posts on his 20th birthday with a score of 1:3. Overall, Nagelsmann also saw some defensive vulnerabilities despite the superior performance of his stars in the improvised back four. Attacking, Sané was not only an asset in the captain’s team because of his opening goal Thomas Müller.
“From the course of the game in the first half, we had imagined the result to be different,” said Müller. “But that’s nothing new after a strenuous training camp. We have seen this many times in the past. I think we’ve really earned the two days off.”
After the half-time break, when the Dutch World Cup participant Blind was on the pitch for the first time in a game with his new teammates after a major change, Salzburg initially made better use of their chances – before FC Bayern turned up the heat again. The former Ajax professional and most recently clubless blind was initially committed for six months. Blind (32) is to replace Lucas Hernández, who has been out for months after a cruciate ligament tear at the World Cup.
“It’s been a tough week,” said the Dutchman. It was good to have been there at the training camp. “He made a good game,” said Nagelsmann. “You could see that he was experienced.”