Serge Gnabry, Robert Lewandowski and Jamal Musiala were on target as Bayern Munich secured a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund this weekend.
Bayern Munich secured their tenth successive Bundesliga title thanks to a 3-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the revered Der Klassiker on Saturday.
It was a dominant yet lucky outing for a Bayern Munich side heading into this game with a fully-fit squad, as opposed to an injury-laden Dortmund side missing 11 first-team players. And unsurprisingly, it was the home side who exerted their dominance right from the beginning, even managing to score the opener inside the 15th minute.
Dortmund had trouble playing the ball out from the back while offering very little threat going forward. Their lack of control in the game resulted in Bayern’s second of the game with Robert Lewandowski capitalising on a mistake from Dan-Axel Zagadou to double his team’s lead in the 34th minute.
However, Dortmund looked like a different team in the second half. They were much more proactive and took the game to the opposition. The under-pressure Bayern side conceded a penalty five minutes after the restart, with Emre Can making no mistake in pulling one back for his team.
The lucky moment for the Bavarians came later in the second half when Jude Bellingham was fouled inside the box. The referee did not bother checking the incident himself, even though there was a definite foul on the Englishman. Despite the setback, BVB could have levelled things regardless, but Erling Haaland missed one glorious opportunity.
The missed chance did cost them in the end, with Jamal Musiala scoring in the 83rd minute to seal the three points and the title for Bayern Munich. And here at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over both sets of players following their entertaining affair at the Allianz Arena this weekend.
Bayern Munich
Manuel Neuer: 7/10
Neuer dodging beer showers like a pro ?? pic.twitter.com/FGOh6CFfxW
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 23, 2022
Manuel Neuer made a couple of marvellous saves to deny Borussia Dortmund a way back into the game. He was alert as always, remaining solid in between the sticks, although he will be disappointed to have missed out on the clean sheet.
Benjamin Pavard: 6.5/10
Benjamin Pavard was responsible for the foul on Bellingham that should have resulted in a second penalty for Dortmund. Apart from that, the right-back performed well defensively, keeping Reinier at bay throughout the game.
Dayot Upamecano: 6.5/10
Dayot Upamecano had nervy moments dealing with the threat of Haaland. But the centre-back looked much better than he did the last time these two sides met each other. He is improving with each passing game and has the potential of becoming a defensive leader for Bayern.
Lucas Hernandez: 7/10
Lucas Hernandez was arguably the most impressive Bayern defender on the day. He made a few crucial interceptions and blocks to deny Dortmund from creating opportunities. He offered the aggression and athleticism we can usually associate with the Frenchman.
Alphonso Davies: 6.5/10
Alphonso Davies wasn’t as influential as he was against Arminia Bielefeld last weekend. He had a tougher job dealing with the threat of Marius Wolf and Julian Brandt, which minimised his influence going forward.
Joshua Kimmich: 7/10
Find yourself a teammate like Joshua Kimmich ? pic.twitter.com/6TG3825rfx
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 23, 2022
Joshua Kimmich performed well as ever, offering control and composure in the middle of the park. He looked extremely rash when fouling Marco Reus in the second half, eventually conceding the penalty. But his deliveries from set-pieces were top-notch and caused a myriad of problems for the Dortmund defence.
Leon Goretzka: 7/10
Leon Goretzka offered the all-important aggression that was vital in combating the likes of Can and Bellingham in the middle of the park. But the former Schalke man wasn’t able to offer the control or the creativity going forward.
Serge Gnabry: 7.5/10
Serge Gnabry was the most in-form Bayern attacker heading into this game. He showcased his form early on, producing a stunning finish to find the all-important opener. He was always a threat down the right flank and this performance should help him convince Bayern to renew his contract this coming summer.
Thomas Muller: 6.5/10
Thomas Muller wasn’t able to make the desired impact with his clever and neat movements in the final third. But he did play a key role in keeping the Dortmund defenders occupied.
Kingsley Coman: 6/10
Kingsley Coman had a rather pedestrian outing against Dortmund, struggling to test Wolf on the far side with his pace and trickery. It was not the most impressive display from the Frenchman, who was subbed off later in the game.
Robert Lewandowski: 7/10
Miss10n accomplished?? History has been made #10 @FCBayern #DeutscherMeister pic.twitter.com/0AyHZxKgck
— Robert Lewandowski (@lewy_official) April 23, 2022
Robert Lewandowski had a quiet game as he was closely marked by Manuel Akanij. But that did not deter the Pole from finding the back of the net and further extending his remarkable scoring record against his former club.
Substitutes
Jamal Musiala: 6.5/10
Jamal Musiala was introduced around the hour mark to add more creativity to the Bayern Munich attack. The youngster ended up scoring the third goal in the 83rd minute, securing all three points for his team.
Leroy Sane: N/A
A late replacement for Coman. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Marcel Sabitzer: N/A
A late replacement for Muller. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Niklas Sule: N/A
A late replacement for Kimmich. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: N/A
A late replacement for Lewandowski. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Borussia Dortmund
Marwin Hitz: 6.5/10
Starting the game in the absence of the injured Gregor Kobel, Marwin Hitz couldn’t have done much to save any of the three goals from Bayern Munich. But the Dortmund goalkeeper did make a couple of key saves to keep his team in the contest.
Marius Wolf: 6.5/10
Marius Wolf lacked the technical prowess to truly make an impact on the proceedings. His link-up play, especially in tight spaces need a lot of improvement, although the former Eintracht Frankfurt man offered a decent shift in the right-back position, notably keeping Coman quiet.
Manuel Akanji: 6.5/10
Manuel Akanji had one or two problems dealing with the ingenuity of the Bayern Munich attackers. However, the Swiss international deserves plaudits for keeping Lewandowski quiet as much as he could while acting as the defensive leader for the away side.
Dan-Axel Zagadou: 5/10
Mats Hummels & Dan-Axel Zagadou have combined for 3 assists in the Bundesliga this season
All of them were for Lewandowski. pic.twitter.com/xAeVBexo5M
— ?? ? (@Fs_BVB) April 23, 2022
Dan-Axel Zagadou was culpable for the error that led to Bayern’s second goal. The defender was poor and irresponsible, in what could be his last Der Klassiker, with Dortmund unlikely to renew his contract that expires at the end of the season.
Raphael Guerreiro: 6/10
Raphael Guerreiro looked a bit more proactive defensviely even though he did leave acres of space for Gnabry to exploit at times. Offensively, he wasn’t able to offer much creativity and lacked the usual proficiency with his set-pieces.
Emre Can: 7.5/10
Emre Can was one of Dortmund’s most impressive players on the day. He started the game on a negative note and was dangerously close to getting sent off. But his drive and determination were a major factor in helping the Dortmund side put up a spirited performance after the restart, while the midfielder also convered the penalty to pull one back for his team.
The fight and passion for the badge this man showed today is worth mentioning. Invaluable asset today in the middle of the pitch. He ran, he fought, he tackled and he showed how a Dortmund player needs to behave when facing Bayern. Big respect for you @emrecan_ #FCBBVB pic.twitter.com/yLhQ7Ep59D
— Alessandro (@BorussiaPassion) April 23, 2022
Jude Bellingham: 7/10
Jude Bellingham worked hard for his team and looked quite useful in tight spaces. His ability to win fouls and get on the nerves of the opposition helped Dortmund make it difficult for Kimmich and Goretkza to control the proceedings. The youngster was also unlucky not to win the penalty in the second half.
Julian Brandt: 6/10
Julian Brandt was hugely inconsistent in the final third. Some of his first touches were atrocious, to say the least, while he also lost possession way too easily at times. At the same time, the German offered creative brilliance on a few occasions, and linked up well with teammates.
Marco Reus: 6.5/10
Marco Reus looked good in the number ten role. He offered the creative output in the final third, often looking to link up with Brandt or release Haaland in behind the defence. Unfortuntely, he missed a couple of potential goalscoring chances in the second half, although he did win the penalty that led to Can’s goal.
Reinier: 4/10
In what was only his second-ever start in the Bundesliga, Reinier produced a woeful display on the left flank. He was not involved in the game at all and struggled to cope with the Bayern press, before making way for the exciting Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in the second half.
Erling Haaland: 6/10
Big respect from two of the world's very best! ❤️?@ErlingHaaland ? @Lewy_Official pic.twitter.com/6ouybPveet
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) April 23, 2022
Erling Haaland caused problems for both Upamecano and Hernandez with his physical and aerial presence in the final third. But the youngster should have been a bit more productive, as he notably missed a glorious opportunity in the second half. No goals for Haaland in what could very well be his last Der Klassiker.
Substitutes
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens: 6/10
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens showcased his skill and ability on the ball in his second-half cameo. There was a lack of execution in his final deliveries, but the youngster looked very promising and deserves more game-time in the coming weeks.
Felix Passlack: N/A
A late replacement for Haaland. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Youssoufa Moukoko: N/A
A late replacement for Wolf. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
