After a disappointing result against Werder Bremen on Saturday, Bayern Munich got back to winning ways against Union Berlin on Wednesday. Courtesy of this victory, Bayern was able to trim Bayer Leverkusen’s lead to four points at the top of the table by winning their game in hand. Bayern were supposed to play Union Berlin at Allianz Arena in Hinrunde, but intense snowfall led to the suspension of the game.
It was not a vintage performance from Bayern on Wednesday, as they scored only one goal. The hosts dominated possession but couldn’t convert this domination into goals. Let us look at three players who ensured Bayern got all three points against Union Berlin at Allianz Arena.
Raphael Guerreiro
After doing well in the midfield over the past few competitive games, Raphael Guerreiro got the chance to play in his best position. With Alphonso Davies struggling for form, Thomas Tuchel handed Guerreiro a start in the left-back role.
The Portuguese defender was relentless on the left flank as he contributed at both ends of the pitch. He had seven touches in the box, which also led to two shots. Guerreiro was also tidy on the ball, completing 98% of passes he attempted. A lot of Die Roten’s attacking moves were going through Guerreiro on the left flank. Along with excelling in possession, Guerreiro was also efficient defensively. He managed to round off a complete performance by scoring the winner in the second half.
Leon Goretzka
After starting the first two games of Ruckrunde on the bench, Leon Goretzka was handed a start by Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday. The German midfielder grabbed this opportunity with both hands. Goretzka delivered a solid performance in the box to box midfield role.
The German international was defensively solid as he made seven recoveries in the center of the park. Goretzka also made his presence felt in the box by taking three shots throughout the game and also created two chances. He boasted a passing accuracy of 85%, making it a solid midfield performance on his return to the starting XI.
Joshua Kimmich
Along with Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich also played equally well in central midfield. The 28-year-old midfielder helped Die Roten to keep things calm and pin Union Berlin in their half. Kimmich completed 98 of 103 passes he attempted on Wednesday evening.
The German international created the most chances for Bayern against Union Berlin. Along with Guerreiro, Kimmich also created four chances in the game. Kimmich will hope to build on this performance and achieve consistency in his performances, which was strangely missing in the first half of the campaign. The German international may unfortunately miss the weekend’s game against Augsburg on Saturday due to a shoulder injury. (All Stats courtesy: Fotmob)