Five observations from Bayern Munich’s 4-2 Klassiker win against Borussia Dortmund

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2 January 2024, 22:15 yayınlandı

What an exhilarating game that was! Bayern Munich have beaten Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in the top of the league edition of Der Klassiker which could determine who wins the coveted Meisterschale at the end of the season. Goals from Dayot Upamecano (credited as a Gregor Kobel own goal), two from Thomas Müller, and Kingsley Coman made sure that Emre Can’s penalty and Donyell Malen’s goal is all Dortmund will bring back to North Rhine-Westphalia. So, what are the takeaways from the match?

Bayern were all over Dortmund

For all the hype that Dortmund got for wrestling top spot from Bayern, it wasn’t worth it. Bayern were simply levels above this Dortmund team. The passes and pressing were good and the Rekordmeister simply limited Dortmund and shut them out.

As the saying goes: “It’s the history of the Dortmund”.

4-2-3-1 and inshallah, lads

This game should prove that no other formation fits Bayern best. The 4-2-3-1 with wingers a CAM behind the striker is THE blueprint for success in Munich; treble winners Jupp Heynckes and Hansi Flick both used this formation to great success. Although Julian Nagelsmann introduced different systems to distribute the scoring load among the rest of the team after Robert Lewandowski left for FC Barcelona, Tuchel made a tweak that maintained that aspect but at the same time reintegrating the 4-2-3-1. The perfect match.

Thomas Müller and Matthijs de Ligt are priceless

Good thing that Tuchel knew what Müller can do. The 33-year-old evergreen Bavarian was the heart and brain of the team: great awareness and positioning, disrupting play/cutting off passing lanes. Müller is simply a God, bow down or be crushed into submission. De Ligt is also now everyone’s favorite CB at this moment in time. Two assists this game and a rock at the back. You couldn’t ask for more.

Massive howler from Gregor Kobel

That is not what you should do in the biggest game of the season. You are heading to the home of perennial winners in the hopes of maintaining your slender lead at the top of the table, misjudging your position is the last thing you should do especially if you’re a goalkeeper. Roman Burki once needlessly ran out of his box in the 3-3 draw with RB Leipzig. Mistakes like that can cost you. Speaking of which…

Conceding pointless goals need to stop

This is becoming an annoying thing about Bayern: they needlessly let in goals in a game where they should have done better to defend. Bayern really need to work on putting the game to bed and not let anyone stage a comeback.

Interested in a more in-depth look at the game? Curious about why Thomas Tuchel chose a 4-2-3-1? How did it differ from Nagelsmann’s Bayern? We talk about all that and more in our postgame podcast. Listen to it below or at this link.

As always, we appreciate all the support!