Bundesliga rout against BVB: merciless criticism of Bayern

ESometimes it’s quite difficult to make Joshua Kimmich smile relaxed on good days, after good games and clear victories. At least shortly after the end of the game, while he is still in the team circle, the Bayern professional does not seem to be relaxing.

But when something goes wrong, like the Bundesliga game against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, Kimmich’s grim expression suggests it would have been better to stay away from him. But it is precisely in such moments that he does not run away, but rather shares what is on his mind.

After Munich’s 2-0 defeat, their first defeat to Dortmund at their own stadium in a decade, his criticism was merciless. “The mood is inexplicable, everything was missing from the first to the last minute,” said Kimmich, who did not have the feeling “that we really want to win.”

“Congratulations to Leverkusen”

Now Kimmich is part of this team, which has not made a good impression, falling back to the past. Therefore, his criticism is also directed at himself: “Now we have two days off to think. Everyone should use this to question themselves a little.” It goes without saying that they will do this. “There are reasons to play well – even if the title is still a long way off,” he says, referring to the Champions League and the quarter-final against Arsenal.

However, in the Bundesliga, where the team currently sits 13 points behind league leaders Leverkusen, it would be a “mathematical miracle”, as Thomas Tuchel said, if they could defend their title. The coach even abandoned all mathematical games and broadcast “Congratulations to Leverkusen” on Sky TV.

No, Kimmich is not one of those who hush up defeats. While Tuchel described league leaders Leverkusen’s late afternoon win over Hoffenheim as a “mood spoiler” and was upset by Mats Hummels’ unpunished handball (“It was definitely a key scene”), Kimmich makes no excuses.

“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to us how Leverkusen plays. I’m concentrating on doing my homework and we can’t do it.” He was also reluctant to admit that the international break had disrupted Bayern’s rhythm. “We as players have to figure it out, no matter if we were here, with the national team or if we had a few days off.”

Unlike Kimmich, Thomas Müller tries to find something good even in bad games, and he often succeeds, because even in Bayern, which lives in extremes, there are not only black and white, but also shades of gray. Although on Saturday they flickered very gloomily.

There were moments “in the decisive phases” and after an early advantage, Karim Adeyemi (10th minute) managed to equalize, Muller said. But neither Harry Kane had the necessary accuracy in headers, nor Leroy Sane in strikes. In the second half, Alphonso Davies failed to clear the ball from a promising position. “But it wasn’t clear from our eyes that we really wanted to win.”

While Bayern suffered a setback after a string of decent performances, Dortmund went on a small winning streak. “We showed the face of the Champions League,” said Edin Terzic, and this performance gives BVB a chance in the Premier quarter-finals against Atlético Madrid.

Müller believed that Dortmund were not exactly playing with a knife in their teeth. But unlike the Munich team, in order to preserve Müller’s image, the Westphalians at least seemed to have a knife with them on the field. They were more aggressive in duels, more focused when losing the ball and more courageous. “We didn’t let anyone take away our advantage,” Hummels said.

Not like in the previous nine years, when the Dortmund team usually abandoned all their good intentions immediately upon arrival, and at the latest after the first stage of pressure from Munich. “We remained calm and cool,” praised Terzic. Having taken the lead, they defended passionately and were rewarded with a late 2-0 win over Julian Ryerson (83′).

Hummels especially distinguished himself in the passionate struggle. For sporting director Sebastian Kehl, the performance of former Munich man and fellow centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck was the right response to his withdrawal from the international matches against France and the Netherlands. “They both wanted to make a statement. That’s what they did.” However, Munich’s Leon Goretzka, who also fought for a place in the squad for the European Championship in the summer, did not succeed.