Bavarian Football Works

Not beating the “Best Team in the World” allegations

Prior to Tuesday evening’s clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, midfielder Vitinha declared “we’ll find out tomorrow night” who the best team in Europe was.

That question appeared settled within minutes.

Luis Díaz, who somehow has been getting stick for his lack of production this season at Bayern, scored his ninth goal of the young season not even four minutes past the opening whistle. By the half-hour mark he’d nicked the ball off Marquinhos and punched in a second, and the Bavarians were on their way.

We’ll get to the red card in a bit — if anything, the game-changing event just gave Bayern a chance to show another form of strength. But Bayern cooked up an opening salvo of sheer dominance, and easily could have had one or two more goals than they did heading into the break. All this, on the road, against one of Europe’s finest. And all while looking like just another day at the office for Vincent Kompany & company.

Defensive test: Passed

Bayern blowing the defending champions off the park in the first 45’ was almost unremarkable compared to what happened in the second. Down a man and under the cosh, Bayern bravely and barely held on to what should have been more than a two-goal advantage. In doing so they faced their first true test of defensive mettle, and passed with flying colors.

Vincent Kompany’s side isn’t one to sit back and absorb pressure. But against PSG, they had to, and tactically, it wasn’t pretty. The Parisians showed they could get pressed out of the game by eleven-man Bayern, but also that they had lethal qualities if given the chance to stay on the ball. Just look at the tilt in the balance of play by the time the game finished:

Even without Ousmane Dembélé, PSG had difference-makers and magicians aplenty. It wasn’t a great look for Bayern to get put on the ropes, but given the firepower, understandable.

So how did Bayern even survive? Stupendous individual defensive performances. Whether it was Jonathan Tah or Dayot Upamecano or Konrad Laimer making critical last-ditch interventions…or Michael Olise solo-ing his way up the pitch the burn extra seconds off the clock and getting a shot away…or Manuel Neuer, at 39, putting in an absolute shot-stopping clinic in the face of a non-stop barrage of pressure. This Bayern team showed they have steel today, the kind of steel champions are made of.

Put some R-E-S-P-E-C-T on Konrad Laimer’s name!

It’s more than the indefatigable sprints or the infectious joy the Austrian international brings to the pitch. More than his last-ditch clearance in stoppage time of yet another dangerous PSG cross as Bradley Barcola lurked behind him. Konrad Laimer is Bayern’s everything man, doing everything, all the time.

Vincent Kompany routinely deploys Laimer on the opponent’s most dangerous wing and this game was no different. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a lot to handle, but the Bayern right-back held his own even when he got beat, often leaving the Georgian winger so worked up over finally securing an inch of space that the resulting cross would be overcooked. Laimer pressed, Laimer harried, Laimer covered every inch of grass. He’s there for the highlight moments and the little ones you miss. When a Paris forward fumbled their opportunity at the last, often he was the one unsettling them just enough to make sure it happened.

What a player. Dare we say among Bayern’s most indispensable.

A word about Lucho

Luis Díaz deserved his red card. Seeing that live, without realizing Hakimi was hurt, it felt like Díaz was lucky to only get a yellow. That was a Football Manager, randomly flying up with two legs scissoring through the air from behind moment of madness. Díaz got beat, made a poor decision, and his execution was worse. And he hurt his opponent doing it.

It was reckless, and Díaz is easily — deservedly — in line for a three-match suspension in the Champions League that will see him unavailable for the Arsenal clash in three weeks’ time. Vincent Kompany was apparently captured on the broadcast incensed, shouting “that’s never a red!” after the review (the initial ruling, showing a rather generous benefit of the doubt in this author’s view, had been a yellow). It’ll be interesting to see what more the Bayern coach has to say about it.

But most importantly: let’s hope Hakimi is alright, as that did not look good.

This isn’t even Bayern’s final form

With each passing consecutive win — there are 16 of them now — it becomes more and more wondrous that this is a Bayern team that has had to make do since the start of preseason without Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies. Those two are superstars, game-changers, and faces of the team. You’re telling me the best team in Europe is getting them back for the business end of the season? Good heavens.

Bayern Munich pulled out a wild 2-1 victory in a game that will be talked about quite a bit. So, why don’t we kick it off. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:

A look at Bayern Munich’s starting XI selections…who stood out, who struggled, and more.

A rundown of the scoring and substitutions as we walk through the flow of the match.

Some final takeaways on the match.

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