Three observations from Bayern’s frustrating loss to TSG Hoffenheim

An energetic and determined Hoffenheim put away a sloppy Bayern Munich to an embarrassing 4-1 loss, finally ending the Bavarians’ 23-game Bundesliga winning streak. Hoffenheim clearly looked prepared to wrest all three points from the defending champions. Sebastian Hoeness and his men did exactly that, executing their plans to perfection and frustrating the visitors to no end. Here are the game observations:

Sebastian Hoeness continues to impress

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Son of former Bayern striker Dieter Hoeness and nephew of the Uli Hoeness, Sebastian Hoeness continues to impress as a head coach. After winning the 3.Liga with the Bayern reserve squad last season, Hoeness was signed by TSG Hoffenheim as the manager of their first team. The 38-year-old Munich native showed up with a well-drilled Hoffenheim side full of tricks and fire. The home side, determined to fight for their lives for the 3 points gave Bayern a lot of trouble both in defense and attack.

With all that’s been said about Bayern’s high backline, Hoffenheim is the first team that really took advantage and exploited it all 90 minutes — and that’s saying something when you consider the big teams that the Bavarians have come up against in the last few months. Defensively, the home side squeezed the Bayern attack sans Robert Lewandowski. Bayern having only three shots on target is a testament to the pressing and defensive grit of this Hoffenheim side today.

Joshua Kimmich scores when it matters the most

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In a game where the prolific Bayern attack was hard pressed to find the back of the net, defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich came up big again. Real Madrid, Tottenham and recently in a title-deciding Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund, it has been Kimmich scoring important goals and lifting team spirits when needed the most.

This game too needed the Bavarians to score a goal if they were to halt the dangerous momentum Hoffenheim had built up in the first half. Kimmich came to the rescue with a beautiful curler into the top right corner from just outside the box. Despite the scoreline at the end, that goal was a much needed breather for Kimmich and his teammates.

A rare sloppy performance from the Bayern squad

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With all credit to Sebastian Hoeness and Hoffenheim’s squad, today was not Bayern’s day. A hint of exhaustion coupled with misplaced passes and little miscommunications throughout the course of 90 minutes did not help the cause of the team from Munich. Corentin Tolisso and Leroy Sané still lack some match sharpness. Sane especially misplaced a lot of long balls, some in crucial positions, while Coco missed a good opportunity to challenge for his spot in the starting eleven. Bayern completed a paltry 3 out of 8 dribbles and won just 6 out of 15 tackles attempted.

The home side deservedly won and could have widened the gap in goals if not for some spectacular work in between the posts from Manuel Neuer. All in all, film rooms across Germany and Europe will be playing this game on repeat in search of the anti-Bayern formula. Hansi Flick and his men on the other hand, have their work cut out for them if they are to avoid another thrashing such as this.