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It looks like Bayern Munich are going back to their scoring ways and to the form they had when the season started, or at least it looks that way (I don’t want to jinx it). In the beginning of the game, I honestly couldn’t tell if Bayern was just beasting or if FC Viktoria Plzeň never had a chance in the game. But either way, here’s who stood out.
Jersey Swap: Jhon Mosquera
The Colombian winger played on the left today, and while he had a (only) slightly average game, it was still better than most of the other players on his side. While he only had 3 shots (none very accurate unfortunately), he still had an xG of 0.11 and a fairly decent game.
Der Kaiser: Matthijs de Ligt
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The Flying Dutchman had a very solid game today, with 92% accurate passes, and a 100% win rate of the ground duels he faced. He’s had a good streak lately, and I can see why Bayern was willing to pay that much money for him. His sheer ability and skill was what kept the defense alive today (not to say that Dayot Upamecano had a bad game), and watching a center-back getting so involved in the attack will never not be entertaining.
The 23-year-old was exactly what Bayern was missing at the back, and it’s incredible to see what he’s doing with the chances he’s been given.
Fußballgott: Leon Goretzka
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The big man was on point today, there’s no doubt about it. Goretzka is one of the few players who knows how to bounce back from injury and make it look like he never left. He had two assists today, plus fourteen passes into the final third and three chances created. But despite having such a strong game offensively, he still managed to take care of the defense, making six recoveries.
The hulking midfielder rarely ever let the opposition through, despite being so involved in the attack, which says a lot about his ability on the pitch. I genuinely do think that the midfield can easily be held strong even without the man himself — Joshua Kimmich.
Der Bomber: Sadio Mané
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Sadio Mané had a great game today, he didn’t have a goal disallowed for being offside, which is amazing given his track record so far. His unfortunately disallowed assist (come on, VAR!) was compensated for by the stupendous ball he angled over the top for Sané to fire past Marian Tvrdon.
Having played the full 90 minutes, it’s easy to see how big of an impact he can have on a game, and if he continues in this form, we could possibly forget about all the stinkers he’s been having lately. Mané was actively trying to create chances as well with an xA of 0.32. Maybe this is where he belongs, and not in the center-forward positions Julian Nagelsmann originally started him in. It genuinely was fun to finally watch the Senegalese international play a good game.
Meister of the Match: Leroy Sané
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As disappointing as it is to not see Jamal Musiala here, it just feels so good to see Leroy bounce back from all the hate he has been getting after joining Bayern. The man has been proving himself over and over and it’s clear to see why we tried so hard to get him from Manchester City.
Sané had an absolutely phenomenal game today, despite only having played 58 minutes total. With two goals and a 100% successful dribble rate, Sané was unstoppable and I really do think if he had played the full 90 minutes he could easily have scored two more. His ability to just glide past the defense is amazing to watch, and even though he played on the right wing (where he’s maybe not as lethal as he is on the left) he still managed to dominate the final third of the pitch.
Whatever he’s doing, and whatever Nags is doing as well, it’s working. And we can only hope it goes up from here.
Interested in more analysis of the game? Why not check out our postgame podcast? Listen to it below or on Spotify.
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