Match awards from Bayern Munich’s satisfying 5-0 win over SC Freiburg

Bayern Munich ran riot over SC Freiburg, stomping the opposition 5-0 in the Allianz Arena. It was a complete performance from top to bottom, which made some of the decisions here extremely difficult.

Jersey Swap: Ritsu Doan

Honestly none of the Freiburg players impressed me enough to warrant a Jersey Swap award at all, but Ritsu Doan was my favourite. Doan looked dangerous in the opening minutes, having the ability on the ball to make the defenders dance and opening space both for himself and his teammates. However, he failed to unlock the defense properly, his biggest failure being failing to create anything from the wide areas, having to invert to get anything done.

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Der Kaiser: Alphonso Davies

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Alphonso Davies had a masterclass today. His defending was ace, holding down the fort on the right side perfectly. Davies was quick to recover whenever there was space on his flank, and even joined the attack, providing an extra option in the left half-space, although he was a little under-utilised. His importance to recycling possession was also showcased, especially when re-working the ball from corners where Davies was often the last man pivoting the ball from side to side. Davies is the best full-back in the world.

Fußballgott: Leon Goretzka

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Leon Goretzka had yet another great game. Although he failed to get on the scoresheet, his movement in the final third caused major chaos, notably giving Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry space inside the box on multiple occasions by tying down markers. His defensive contribution was the best of the midfielders, with him often hanging back to let Kimmich advance, and even when he didn’t, his tackles and challenges in the midfield third were flawless, halting many a Freiburg play in their tracks. It was a complete box-to-box performance from a player who seems to be getting better and better as the injuries fall further in the rear view mirror.

Der Bomber: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

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Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had a great game, cementing his place as a great back-up option if not a consistent substitute. Choupo-Moting was fantastic on the ball, with his quick feet and great figure allowing him to win duels both in the air and on the ground. His dribbling was fantastic yes, but what was even better was his passing. On multiple occasions he played his teammates into dangerous areas with flashy passes, picking up an assist as well as giving Serge Gnabry a chance which he really should’ve scored, but the ball cannoned off the base of the post. Choupo-Moting of course also got his goal, a fantastic finish from a narrow angle after receiving the ball in the box with Philippp Lienhart leaning on him. A great team player played like a great player today.

Meister of the Match: Leroy Sané

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Whisper it quietly, but.. you know what? No. Shout it from the highest point you can find it.

Leroy Sané is the best player in the world right now.

Sané was the primary (and at times only) orchestrator of play in the final third for Bayern, consistently beating men and playing his teammates in. His balls were killer, with his teammates letting him down with the finishes a few times. He would get his assist when he played a pass to Choupo-Moting who managed to slam it in, but the best goal of the day was by Sané himself. Sané took a shot from outside the box so good I refuse to attempt to describe it after playing a one-two with Choupo-Moting which involved Choupo-Moting channeling his inner Ronaldinho with a back-heel return pass before the shot.

Sané should be the headliner for the 2023 Ballon d’Or as he continues to churn out fantastic performances like this. Let’s start the hype train boys.

Interested in more analysis of the game? We have that plus so much more (including a discussion of Robert Lewandowski and an Augsburg preview) in the latest episode of our podcast. Listen to it below or on Spotify.

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