Der Klassiker
Borussia Dortmund came into their Der Klassiker game against Bayern Munich with only one loss in their last seven Bundesliga games. It was their shock loss to the hapless RB Leipzig and Jesse Marsch. Marco Rose‘s last domestic loss before that came against his former team Borussia Monchengladbach some seven weeks ago. While their UEFA Champions League campaign has been a disaster, their domestic campaign has been alright. They sit one point behind Bayern Munich despite losing Bayern target Erling Haaland for weeks. There were only 15,000 fans in the Signal Iduna Park following new covid restrictions, but they were hoping that their famous yellow wall could egg on the home side who have won all their seven home games this campaign.
Bayern Munich has gone about its business their usual way. They have sealed qualification into the next round of the UEFA Champions League while they top the Bundesliga. They have lost only twice domestically and drawn only one game. Bayern Munich beat BVB to win the German Super Cup earlier in the season and they hold the victory from the last domestic der Klassiker. In fact, they have defeated BVB in their last four Bundesliga meetings. Bayern’s losses came against Augsburg, three weeks ago and Eintracht Frankfurt, a month before that. Julian Nagelsmann was hoping his side could begin to pull clear from their yellow counterparts. Robert Lewandowski was also hoping to put behind Ballon d’Or disappointment to lead Bayern to another victory. Joshua Kimmich missed his fifth straight game due to Covid-19.
First Half
The first real chance of the game came from a Jude Bellingham pass and fell it to Julian Brandt. He deleted Alphonso Davies before slotting home in the fifth minute. Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich responded only four minutes later. Thomas Muller closed down Mats Hummels and headed the bouncing ball to Robert Lewandowski who finished beyond Gregory Kobel. Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski now has 25 goals in 25 games against his former club. In the history of the Bundesliga, no player has scored more goals away from home. 117!
On 22, Emre Can, another former Bayern Munich player nearly gifted another goal to Bayern. He was replacing Axel Witsel in his favored midfield position and gave the ball away to Lewandowski who could not score. Hummels then gave the ball away again, this time to Leroy Sane who set up Kingsley Coman. The Frenchman’s rasping drive was saved. Bayern dominated the ball, but BVB found joy against their high line with Haaland terrorizing Dayot Upamecano DFB-Pokal style. On 29, after a good combination play with Marco Reus, the Norwegian dragged his shot wide. a minute later, Bellingham showed good feet before firing well over the bar.
Just before halftime, Bayern took the lead. Alphonso Davies drove the ball forward and sent his cross into the box. Raphaël Guerreiro tried to clear it, but it hit Hummels and fell to Coman who drove his shot into the back of the net. Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Bayern Munich.
Second Half
Borussia Dortmund came out aggressively and got their equalizer through Haaland. A wicked cross came into the Bayern box and Upamecano fumbled it. The ball fell to Bellingham who reversed it for Haaland to curl in with his right foot. Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Bayern Munich.
Die Rekordmeister nearly equalized immediately, but Kobel saved. He also saved a Sane free-kick that was struck from a long distance. BVB and Marco Rose felt they should have had a penalty when Luca Hernandez guided captain Marco Reus off the ball, but the call was not given. Coman then forced a near-post save from Kobel and a minute later, the Bayern defense had to put in some blocks to deny Reus and Bellingham. Donyell Malen replaced Mahmoud Dahoud as BVB went for the winner. The Dutchman may not have been a like-for-like replacement for Jadon Sancho, now of Manchester United, but his time in Germany is not having even close to the impact the Englishman had. Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry replaced Sane and Leon Goretzka.
There was a scary collision in the 66th minute as Brandt clashed with Davies. He had to be stretchered off. Marius Wolf replaced him and his first contribution was to nearly dislocate Hernandez’s left leg with a fierce drive. Contract defaulter Niklas Sule replaced him.
We propose that Mats Hummels be investigated for match-fixing after today’s game. The German defender gave away a needless penalty in the 75th minute. Bayern did not get a sniff of the home side’s goal until his third brainless gaffe of the game. He has been awful since Euro 2020 and it is not his first mistake for BVB this season. Lewandowski scored the kick. Borussia Dortmund 2-3 Bayern Munich.
Rose went mad at the referee and got a red card for his protests. Bellingham headed over from a good chance, but he would have been flagged offside anyway. He went into the referee’s book when he pushed Manuel Neuer down when trying to close him down. 10 minutes of added time!
Upamecano received a yellow card then gave the ball away in a dangerous area. However, Thomas Meunier’s shot was easy for Neuer. Lewandowski hit a free-kick over the ball. Kobel came forward for a corner kick and left his goal open for a counterattack. Astonishingly, Corentin Tolisso fired wide with the goal gaping. It finished Borussia Dortmund 2-3 Bayern Munich. Bayern beats Dortmund for the seventh straight time.
Bayern will host Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League before welcoming Mainz in the Bundesliga. BVB will face Besiktas in the UCL before traveling to face Bochum.
