Die Folgen: Bayern’s 3-2 loss to PSG (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich fell behind Paris Saint-Germain early and eventually were just caught one too many times by the potent PSG attack in a roller coaster ride of a 3-2 defeat. It will not be an easy loss for any member of Bayern Munich to swallow. Here are some quick hitters on the match:
- Bayern Munich’s effort was just bizarre. They completely dominated everything but the scoreboard. The Bavarians outshot PSG 31-6....yes 31-6.
- Two bad defensive moments proved to be costly as Kylian Mbappe and Marquinhos made Bayern Munich’s backline breakdown very hurtful in the first half. Of course, Jerome Boateng also took too lax of an approach in defending Mbappe to give the young Frenchman an easy chance for the game-winner.
- Neymar created the first chance with a great drive and dish to Mbappe. Manuel Neuer should have done better with that one. Both David Alaba and Lucas Hernandez were woefully out of position, which paved the way for a pretty easy chance.
- As for Marquinhos’ effort, he took advantage of just awful play and positioning from the entire backline — right before he left the match with what looked like a groin injury.
- The move to bring on Alphonso Davies for Leon Goretzka early in the game was curious on the surface, but it turns out that Goretzka was injured. As I said on the Der Ausblick podcast, I’d have started Davies to try and match Mbappe’s pace. Davies brought a different element into the match for Hansi Flick. Alaba pushed up to midfielder and Hernandez slid to center-back once Davies came on.
- Trust me, I defer to Flick’s judgement, but it feels like strategically, Davies was a better fit against PSG.
- Flick also subbed out Niklas Süle in favor of Jerome Boateng. Süle looked like he might have been hurt as well.
- Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s header goal was sensational. It was a great delivery from Benjamin Pavard, but Choupo put that ball away authoritatively.
- Thomas Müller could have easily had a brace in the first half and he absolutely would admit that. Müller did end up with a tremendous goal of his own (off of a delivery from Joshua Kimmich), but was the first to admit his team struggled with its precision in the final third.
Can we believe this? pic.twitter.com/Cvgfz52BtF
— Rick Triplesieger Joshua (@fussballchef) April 7, 2021
- Leroy Sane needed to do a lot more. It felt like a very incomplete effort from both Sane and Kingsley Coman. Frankly, the wings were the weakest part of the forward/midfield group as they coughed up the ball too easily at times, forced things at others, and just lacked precision on the day. There were moments of brilliance from both, but the overall consistency from both Coman and Sane just was not there on the day.
- Man...Mbappe was a handful. He had Bayern Munich’s entire backline terrified at times.
- Mbappe, Neymar, and Keylor Navas carried to PSG to that victory.
- Bayern’s charge back into the game was expected given how dominant they were on the ball. It was really insane with how good Bayern Munich was in controlling the game, only to have a few awful moments change the course of the contest.
Bayern (4.14) 2-3 (1.54) PSG
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) April 7, 2021
- In the end, this will be a game remembered for three defensive lapses and the squad’s inability to be clinical with its finishing. The opportunities were there for sure, but Bayern Munich was not able to convert enough of them to pull out a victory.
If you missed our Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast, give them a look or a listen:
Tolisso’s list of suitors (Transfer Market Web)
Rumors have been circling that Corentin Tolisso could leave Bayern Munich this summer and the Frenchman will not have a lack of interested parties. Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester United are all allegedly ready to take a run at the 26-year-old midfielder:
According to footmercato.net, French international central midfielder Corentin Tolisso (26) is currently tracked by Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester United. Playing for Bayern Munich since 2017/18, former Lyon playmaker is on a deal with German giants until June 2022; according to Transfermarkt.de esteem, Tolisso is currently worth roughly half the 41.5 million euros transfer fee he was purchased by almost four years ago.
Matthäus: Kimmich is the best defensive midfielder in the world (@dw_sports)
Lothar Matthäus thinks Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich is the best defensive midfielder in the world bar-none:
Germany legend @LMatthaeus10 has had his say on who is the best defensive midfielder in the world.
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) April 7, 2021
Do you agree with him?#kimmich #FCB #Matthäus pic.twitter.com/5TZpcEMUzT
I wouldn’t argue with that.
Haaland gets autograph request from...assistant referee? [Update: And now we know why] (Sport Bild)
In an act that would be considered unprofessional at best, assistant referee Octavian Sovre hit Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland up for an autograph:
Erlling Haaland (20) is asked for an autograph by assistant referee Octavian Sovre in the catacombs. Funny at first, quite unprofessional at second glance.
Here is the video:
The linesman is the biggest Erling Haaland fanboy around pic.twitter.com/a1lm1YQlEr
— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) April 6, 2021
UPDATE: 10:50AM EST
Thankfully there was a good — really good, in fact — reason for this; even if the optics were poor (per the Daily Mirror):
The touching reason an assistant referee broke convention to ask Erling Haaland for his autograph has emerged. Romanian official Octavian Sovre watied for Haaland in the tunnel after Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League. He then requested the Norwegian striker sign his yellow and red cards, with City boss Pep Guardiola claiming he had never seen such an incident in his career. Sovre drew criticism for taking Haaland aside after the match and his actions were described as “childish” by former City and England defender Joleon Lescott.
But the official was not after a souvenir for his son or daughter, as Guardiola suggested he may have been. Instead, Sovre was collecting items he could donate for auction to raise funds for a centre which provides therapy for those with autism in his native country. That’s according to Romanian outlet Gazeta Sporturilor , which notes Sovre has supported the centre in the Bihor county since 2015.
(Credit: BFW commenter Udish for the news drop!)
Adriano hits rare exacta: Positive COVID-19 test and ran over a biker (Sport Bible)
Palmeiras striker Luiz Adriano had a heck of a week. First, Adriano tested positive for COVID-19 and then ran over a cyclist after breaking his quarantine:
According to reports in Brazil, the former Shakhtar Donetsk and AC Milan forward tested positive on two occasions and was therefore required to isolate at home for 10 days in line with the club’s rules. Although asymptomatic, the Brazilian broke his required quarantine and decided to take his mother to a shopping mall in western São Paulo.
He was then involved in a car accident that saw a cyclist hit in the car park and suffer minor injuries. Footage of Adriano waiting while the victim received treatment in the aftermath emerged online following the incident on Monday.
Everybody hates Philly (@PhilaUnion)
German striker Kacper Przybyłko had the game-winner in the Philadelphia Union’s 1-0 CONCACAF Champions League win over Saprissa, but his goal wasn’t even the biggest hit of the contest. Check out this foul by Ricardo Blanco on Kai Wagner (another German-born Union player):
.@SaprissaOficial with the late...yellow card? pic.twitter.com/Hk7Ola2UTO
— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion) April 8, 2021