Konrad Laimer on Bayern Munich’s ten-man fight-back against Darmstadt

Bayern Munich went down a man almost immediately after the opening whistle on Saturday against Darmstadt, and not long after the newly-promoted side was showing their attacking and pressing intent.

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel was seen frantically gesticulating at his team, perhaps trying desperately to indicate to them what the opposition was doing — a 5-4-1? Whatever it was Tuchel said, it seemed to work. Bayern found their way to match up on their opponents despite being a man down, and soon found not one, but two red cards back the other way.

“In the first half we didn’t really manage to generate pressure,” Bayern midfielder Konrad Laimer explained (captured via @iMiaSanMia). “But we showed a very good reaction in the second half. We play man-to-man up front and showed our quality.”

He added a word about returning No. 1 keeper Manuel Neuer as well: “I’m really happy that Manu is fit again after such a long period of suffering and I’m looking forward to hopefully many more games with him.”

Laimer was the man who was the architect of both of Darmstadt’s red cards. One won himself, and one from a pass he supplied for Harry Kane — both going to runners down towards the box in the right half-space.

For Bayern and Laimer, though, it is Joshua Kimmich’s early red that will remain in the focus. It leaves Laimer the lone available central midfielder by trade for next weekend’s clash against Borussia Dortmund.

Interested in more analysis of this crazy game? Is Harry Kane suffering from Erling Haaland syndrome? Why doesn’t Thomas Müller play more? We talk about all that and more in our postgame podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify.

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