Bayern Munich: Top performers in narrow defeat against Gladbach
By Isaac Rivers
On Matchday 21 of the Bundesliga season, league leaders Bayern Munich was hosted by 10th-placed Borussia Monchengladbach. This is a match-up that Bayern has not been able to find a win in for five straight games. Gladbach has been hailed as Bayern’s “bogey team”, since the Bavarian club’s last win against M’gladbach was back in May 2021. The same trend followed on Saturday as Die Roten succumbed to a 3-2 defeat. Despite the defeat, following players shone for Bayern at Borussia Park.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting helped in bringing Bayern back into a game where they seemed to quickly give up. After conceding early in the game on the back of the dismissal of Dayot Upamecano, Choupo-Moting brought the visitors back in the game by scoring the equaliser midway through the game.
One of his nicest plays of the game for Die Roten involved Choupo-Moting. He delivered a perfect cross in the box, but Leon Goretzka couldn’t make the right connection to convert this chance. The moment that really mattered for Choupo-Moting was the goal he scored to bring Die Roten into the game. Choupo-Moting showed great control and striker’s instinct by converting the cross from Davies in the first attempt. The Cameroon forward caused problems for Gladbach throughout his stay on the pitch.
Joshua Kimmich
The most consistent player for Bayern against Gladbach was Joshua Kimmich. It didn’t matter if he was leading the charge on offense, or falling back and playing as an additional center-back. Kimmich was everywhere and that is exactly the kind of player Bayern needed in this game.
Struggling to get anything going in the final third for a good deal of time, it seemed as though Kimmich was always the first to initiate a solid offensive move. With an early blow to Bayern’s defense, as Dayot Upamecano was handed a red card in the eighth minute, Kimmich also made it his responsibility to fill in the gaping hole left. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it helped Bayern to be competitive throughout the 90 minutes despite the defeat.
Alphonso Davies
In recent weeks, Bayern has been lining up with wingbacks instead of fullbacks. Alphonso Davies has been flourishing in this new role. This doesn’t benefit any normal defender, but Davies has such skill in dribbling and so much pace that playing at wingback allows him to get more involved in the final third without compromising his defensive duties.
This worked great for Davies against M’gladbach. His defensive work was next to perfect. Nobody could get around him on defense. On the other end of the field, his offensive play was impressive as he provided an assist for Choupo-Moting. Davies played in a cross so precise that Choupo-Moting barely had to move to tap it in. This performance from Davies was game-changing, and rightfully earns the Man of the Match.
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Even though this was Bayern’s sixth straight match-up against M’gladbach without a win, this was only their second defeat of the season. Bayern will now be looking to recover in their game against Union Berlin on February 26. Union Berlin can go top of the table on Sunday with a win, so the game against Die Roten next week will be huge for the title race.