Bayern Munich suffered further humiliation as league leaders Borussia Dortmund clinched a hard-fought win over the Bavarians.
Things just keep getting worse for Niko Kovac and his men, it seems, as Bayern Munich suffer yet another setback this weekend following a 3-2 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund.
The Bavarians started the game on a positive note, controlling possession whilst restricting Dortmund to string together enough passes to gain any sort of momentum in the final third. But, Lucien Favre’s men were tactically spot on, defending with two bands of four with Marco Reus and Mario Gotze playing in a free-flowing role.
However, Robert Lewandowski drew first blood, latching onto a great cross from Serge Gnabry, which turned out to be the only goal of the first half. Shortly after the restart, the hosts Dortmund pulled one back through Marco Reus although Bayern quickly restored their lead minutes afterwards.
And just when it seemed as if the visitors are going to stroll through a win, the league leaders made yet another sensational comeback with Marco Reus scoring his second in the 67th minute before substitute Paco Alcacer netted the winner in the 73rd minute. The defeat means that Bayern are now trailing Dortmund by seven points and Kovac is officially on thin ice now.
In the meantime, here are the Bayern Munich players rated in their disappointing defeat to Dortmund.
Manuel Neuer: 3/10
Another awful performance from the German international, who failed to make himself strong when Dortmund fired back in the second half. He could do nothing to save Reus’ penalty shortly after the restart and was also beaten by Alcacer late in the game.
7 – #Bayern have picked up just 8 points from their last 7 #Bundesliga games, and they have never come back from being 7 points behind the leader that late in the season. Crisis. #BVBFCB pic.twitter.com/vMwbHbqGnJ
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 10, 2018
Joshua Kimmich: 7.5/10
Was one of the few consistent players for Bayern Munich as he carried a lot of threat going forward, especially in the first half. Although he struggled, at times, against the sheer pace of Hakimi on the right flank, his overall gameplay was pretty tidy.
Kimmich provided the assist for Lewandowski’s second goal of the evening while also making an important goal-line clearance in the second half.
Jerome Boateng: 6/10
A mixed game for the German international, who looked solid and composed in the first half ,but was extremely wobbly once Dortmund started to spite forward in numbers. His long passes weren’t accurate as we are generally accustomed to from this highly talented defender.
Mats Hummels: 7.5/10
Hummels’ substitution just after the hour-mark due to a knock was the root of all of Bayern’s problems on the evening. His absence in the backline allowed Dortmund to become more expressive in the final as they ultimately clawed their way back into the game.
Before his initial substitution, the ex-BVB captain’s domineering presence limited the hosts’ attacking moves as Bayern dominated throughout the first half.
David Alaba: 6/10
It’s probably to fair to acknowledge that Alaba struggled against Lukasz Piszczek on the left flank. The Polish international was diligent and stood his ground, denying Alaba any sort of space to run forward. Bayern fans will definitely expect better performances from the Austrian international.
Javi Martinez: 5/10
He was the main weak link in Bayern’s link-up play, with the Dortmund players often targeting his lack of pace and mobility in order to spark counter-attacking opportunities. He got pick-pocketed a couple of times, which could have cost Bayern dearly if the Black and Yellows had capitalized on their chances a little more.
Leon Goretzka: 6/10
Looked promising in the early stages of the game, denying the likes of Reus and Gotze any sort of time on the ball with some sharp tackles. But, the former Schalke midfielder faded as the game progressed and was ultimately outclassed by a rejuvenated Dortmund side in the second half.
Serge Gnabry: 7.5/10
Was the biggest threat for Bayern going forward, as he provided a host of dangerous crosses from the right-flank, including the one which found Lewandowski for the opener.
He always looked menacing whenever he got onto the ball but desperately lacked the final end product, with most of his runs leading to nowhere, partly due to Dortmund’s diligent defending.
Thomas Muller: 6.5/10
Did a pretty good job in probing Dortmund whilst also making some useful runs to create spaces for his teammates. But, he lacked time on the ball, thanks to Dortmund’s intense pressing, which drastically limited his influence in the final third. Was unfortunate to be subbed off late in the game.
Franck Ribery: 7/10
Caused a lot of trouble for the Dortmund defence in the first with his sharp runs. However, he couldn’t make much of a difference thanks to an exceptional defensive effort from Piszczek, who stood strong till the very end, arguably ending up as Dortmund’s best defender of the evening.
Robert Lewandowski: 9/10
He was a threat going forward and looked dangerous whenever he set his feet on the ball. He had only shots attempts in the entire game, which is indicative of his lethal scoring prowess but at the same time, it also shows that he lacked service from teammates, especially with Dortmund defenders isolating him inside the penalty area.
He could have bagged a hat-trick had it not been for the linesman ruling out his late goal due to offside, much to the disappointment of the Bayern community.
SUBSTITUTES
Niklas Sule: 5/10
Looked very nervous after replacing Hummels in the 65th minute, which might have played a key role behind his tentative defensive performance on the evening.
Renato Sanches: 7.5/10
Was an absolute livewire after coming in for Serge Gnabry in the 74th minute as he dribbled through the Dortmund defenders in order to create chances for his teammates. Could have been much more effective if he had started sooner.
Sandro Wagner: NA
His introduction late in the game was indicative of Kovac’s frustration as he desperately looked for the equalizer in the dying embers of the game but to no avail.
