Bayern Strikes
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Four takeaways as Bayern Munich narrowly get past Schalke

By Kiran Thakare

GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - MARCH 3: (L-R) Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munchen, Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munchen, Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munchen celebrate goal during the German DFB Pokal match between Schalke 04 v Bayern Munchen at the Veltins Arena on March 3, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen Germany (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images)
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - MARCH 3: (L-R) Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munchen, Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munchen, Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munchen celebrate goal during the German DFB Pokal match between Schalke 04 v Bayern Munchen at the Veltins Arena on March 3, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen Germany (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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Bayern Munich’s Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara (R) and Bayern Munich’s German midfielder Serge Gnabry celebrate after the German Cup (DFB Pokal) quarter-final football match Schalke 04 v FC Bayern Munich in Gelsenkirchen, western Germanyon March 3, 2020. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP) / DFB REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND QUASI-VIDEO. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP via Getty Images)
Bayern Munich’s Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara (R) and Bayern Munich’s German midfielder Serge Gnabry celebrate after the German Cup (DFB Pokal) quarter-final football match Schalke 04 v FC Bayern Munich in Gelsenkirchen, western Germanyon March 3, 2020. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP) / DFB REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND QUASI-VIDEO. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP via Getty Images) /

A measured and controlled performance

Flick has made some important changes in Die Roten’s style of play during the winter break. Bayern have been pressing aggressively from the word go. They try to blitz past teams in the first half an hour and then manage the game properly. This approach had reaped the rewards, as defending Bundesliga champions have earned some big victories in Ruckrunde.

However, it was a completely different scenario on Tuesday. The visitors took a back seat and delivered a measured performance over 90 minutes. The main reason behind this approach is likely to be fatigue in players since it was their third game in eight days.

As a consequence of this strategy from Die Roten, Schalke started the game sharply and created some good chances. Die Roten were not fazed by this as they slowly gained control and dictated the tempo of the play.

After going ahead, Bayern did create chances, but they also looked to save energy by managing the game cleverly. It was exactly the right approach from team management as intense pressing in multiple games in a short period of time may lead to injuries. It was nothing spectacular from Bayern on Tuesday as there was no need for it. A controlled and efficient performance that helped them to clinch the victory.