Match awards from Bayern Munich’s 2:0 win over AEK Athens

After a disappointing draw against Freiburg, it was crucial for Bayern to win the game, not only for eventually taking the lead in the group, but also as motivation for Der Klassiker, which is scheduled for this Saturday.

Bayern didn’t dominate the match initially, but as the game progressed, Bayern looked more and more confident. Bayern very much deserved the win, and here are the most notable performances from this night.

Jersey swap: Petros Mandalos

He didn’t score a goal, but his performance was a good one and deserved some recognition. He and his partner in attack Ezequiel Ponce gave no rest to Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels. Mandalos showed how to lead your team against a big club like Bayern.

Tip of the Cap: Jerome Boateng

He gave us a good performance. As mentioned above, he had to deal with Mandalos and Ponce. Although they were indeed quite eager to cause trouble for Manuel Neuer, Boateng managed to keep them at bay. His long passes were a joy to watch! Boateng managed to achieve 89.5% passing accuracy and, of his 24 long passes, 18 were accurate. Although we must not forget Hummels and his solid performance, Boateng’s presence was really important for Bayern’s defensive stability.

Golf Clap: Joshua Kimmich

A very important performance from our right-back. After a bad performance against Freiburg, where even Kimmich stated that it was his worst performance ever, he showed today why he is one of the best Bayern players. Kimmich had an assist, 90.5% pass accuracy, and five key passes. Simply put, Kimmich deserved praise today. With his attacking style of play, Kimmich proved again that he is more valuable for Bayern at right-back than in midfield.

Standing Ovation: Javi Martinez

Tonight’s performance was probably the best one from Martinez this season. He gave Bayern the stability it needs in the midfield. He worked tirelessly in the midfield and provided good passes for the attack. Martinez also helped out Boateng and Hummels in defense, winning 16 out of 19 duels. It was important for Bayern to have that extra man in the defensive part of the field and Martinez did that job exceptionally.

Meister of the Match: Robert Lewandowski

Today Lewandowski stepped up and bagged a brace for the home team. From time to time it was frustrating to watch him play, as when he again missed a one-on-one situation, but he definitely made up for lost opportunity. Lewandowski singlehandedly won the team a penalty and capitalized on it with a beautiful conversion.

Lewandowski’s second goal was something special! The Pole ran off from Vasilis Lampropoulos and, with superb foot control, netted a very important tally. Overall, Lewandowski had a very good game and was a true leader on the pitch.