Talking Tactics: Bayern Munich need to contain Borussia Dortmund’s attack

Rewind: Matchday 11 – Bayern Munich’s passing network

Hansi Flick deployed a 4-3-3 system on paper for Bayern. Leon Goretzka partnered Joshua Kimmich as the center-midfielder. Thomas Muller found himself in the attacking midfield role, making this formation more of a 4-2-3-1. Die Roten built their attack with three men at the back. Kimmich often hovered between Dortmund’s two forwards and Bayern’s center-backs, Javi Martinez and David Alaba.

Lucien Favre started without a proper striker. Mario Gotze and Julian Brandt stood upfront in the first wave of defense. Jadon Sancho, Julian Weigl, Axel Witsel, and Thorgan Hazard pressed in a compact block in the second layer. 4-2-3-1 for Die Borussen transformed into a 4-4-2 setup during the defensive phase.

The exchange of movements between Bayern’s midfielders was out of this world. Hansi Flick’s magic had already started to show its colours. Muller, Goretzka, and Serge Gnabry started to mix things up for Dortmund. It proved to be an effective scheme to play through Dortmund’s aggressive pressing displayed early in the first half.

Bayern looked sharp and brave with their ball progression. The hosts attempted several line-breaking forward passes. Die Roten played 397 forward passes, 326 of these passes were executed in the mid and final thirds, resulting in 82 percent of forward passes targetted to a progressive phase of the pitch. In the previous three games, when Bayern played against defense-minded teams, such as Augsburg and Union Berlin, this metric stood at 80 percent.

More from Bayern Strikes

• Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
• Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
• Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
• Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
• Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl

Dortmund’s aggressive pressing in the final-third was limited to Bayern opening the play from a goal-kick or playing too close to their byline. Favre’s men majorly used a medium block zonal press to control their space. Flick had another trick up his sleeve to open gaps in behind Dortmund’s defensive block. Coman, along with Muller and Davies, overloaded the left half of the pitch.

The German manager’s idea was to absorb Dortmund’s pressure on one side and create space for Gnabry on the other side of the pitch. Long diagonal-balls were played to finish off this tactical move. Passes from Alaba to Gnabry was a common pattern of the night. Alaba played 14 long-balls during this match. Five of these were diagonally aimed at the far side of the right-wing.

Bayern’s positional play was jaw-dropping. Hansi Flick’s tactics left Dortmund running in circles on the pitch. It was one of the key components missing from Bayern’s previous performances. In return, this type of attacking play augmented their defensive strategy.