Gladbach 5-0 Bayern Munich: Initial reactions and observations from a total nightmare

Initial reactions and observations

• This performance was perhaps one of the worst I’ve ever seen as a Bayern Munich fan. Words cannot describe the absolute disaster that has befallen Bayern today. Getting knocked out of the DFB Pokal is bad — but losing 5-0 is a calamity. The players should be ashamed of this performance.
• Dayot Upamecano ... let’s just say that lots of questions will be asked of him in the coming weeks. Meanwhile Niklas Sule’s agent is probably seeing dollar signs.
• There is almost no way to explain the sheer drop off in performance shown by a near full-strength Bayern today. No Nagelsmann on the sidelines, but surely the players were capable of better than this? For the second season running, Bayern have been knocked out of the 2nd round of the Pokal. Awful, awful performance.

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Full time: Bayern Munich lose 5-0, crash out of the DFB Pokal.

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82’ — The misery is slowly coming to an end. Only 8 more minutes left.

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57’ — Goal. What is happening? HOW? Embolo makes it 5-0.

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51’ — Goal. Disaster again between the center backs. Embolo makes it 4-0.

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45’ — The second half is underway.

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Halftime observations and analysis

• What a horrendous half from Bayern Munich. Literally every player has been terrible. What is Nagelsmann even supposed to say at the break?
• Dayot Upamecano is probably having the worst game of his career right now, and Erling Haaland isn’t even on the pitch. What a disaster.
• What am I even supposed to write here? This is shockingly bad. The players should all be ashamed of that half.

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Halftime: Bayern are losing 3-0. Wow.

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19’ — Goal. Penalty to Gladbach. Bensebaini makes it 3-0. It’s looking like this game is over.

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14’ — Goal. HOW. WHAT IS HAPPENING?

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1’ — Goal. Kone makes it 1-0 already. What a disaster for Bayern.

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Kickoff: We’re underway! Can Bayern beat their bogey team?

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One hour until kickoff: We have lineups! Alphonso Davies and Leon Goretzka are back in the lineup, while Niklas Sule has been benched in favor of Lucas Hernandez and Dayot Upamecano. No big surprises otherwise.

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The DFB Pokal is BACK! The second round would usually be a formality for a team like Bayern Munich, who would normally expect to face a lower division. But last season, even that lower division team managed to knock them out, which will probably put the team on guard for a second such occurrence. Because if any team can cause an upset at this stage, it’s Borussia Monchengladbach.

Julian Nagelsmann has a more or less fit squad for this game, which is ironic since the coach himself will miss it due to quarantine. Both Alphonso Davies and Leon Goretzka are back, and they will be joined by the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, and co. who are all in good form and raring for a chance to finally beat the Foals this season. Still, it’s the Pokal and anything can happen.

It’s Bayern time.

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Why not listen to our podcast as you wait for the game? Here you go:

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Match Info

Location: Borussia Park, Monchengladbach, Germany

Time: 8:45 pm local time, 2:45 pm EST

TV/streaming: YouTube, ESPN+, Find Your Country

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