Bayern Munich wanted simply 24 minutes to point out their enamel beneath Thomas Tuchel with a 4-2 win over Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker on Saturday. BVB led the Bundesliga champions coming into the Allianz Area conflict however had been spectacularly blown away in 11 first-half minutes which has given prime spot straight again to the Bavarians.
Tuchel couldn’t have wished for a extra convincing begin from Bayern on his watch as Thomas Muller scored twice on prime of a Gregor Kobel personal purpose earlier than the half-hour mark. Nevertheless, it was not simply the long-serving German star who impressed on a day when the playing cards had been redealt after Julian Nagelsmann’s departure and the likes of Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane additionally profited.
There are nonetheless some lingering defensive questions as evidenced by Dortmund’s two late objectives to chop the deficit, however Bayern’s opening hour or so was fairly complete.
Listed below are early impressions from the Tuchel period at Bayern:
Tactical consistency
Intriguingly, Tuchel opted towards making main modifications to the choice and techniques and went for simply two modifications with trusted Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Coman coming into largely the identical staff that went down 2-1 to Bayer Leverkusen earlier than the worldwide break. A lot was fabricated from the perceived breakdown in relationship between Nagelsmann and his locker room by the top of his tenure and this was the damning proof but that one thing was certainly damaged. A focus in assault with Choupo-Moting actually helped as did having the width supplied by Coman and Sane however Tuchel’s modifications for this one had been hardly rocket science and it nonetheless paid off handsomely.
Muller rises to event
In fact, it helped Tuchel massively that Muller was within the temper from the get-go and his six-minute double helped to compound the distress for Dortmund of Kobel’s rush of blood to the top for the opener. Ruthlessness in entrance of purpose has at all times been considered one of Muller’s sturdy fits and few embodied that collective style for blood that the 33-year-old confirmed right here as he grabbed his first objectives since February. Tuchel realized the way to use Angel Di Maria to nice impact with Paris Saint-Germain and was in a position to rely on Thiago Silva in each the French capital and later London with Chelsea. Muller may simply be the following seasoned head who proves essential to his ambitions.
Defensive worries stay
It was not all excellent for Tuchel on his maiden outing as Bayern boss. Late Emre Can and Donyell Malen objectives enabled Dortmund to get nearer to their hosts than many of the recreation had prompt. Questions stay over the likes of Benjamin Pavard and Matthijs De Ligt whereas Alphonso Davies is actually at his finest going ahead. It should have given Tuchel a lot to contemplate and the truth that Joao Cancelo solely acquired the ultimate 11 minutes and that Jamal Musiala would usually begin hints that modifications might be coming within the first few video games beneath the German tactician.
Rapid title influence
The ramifications of the outcome can’t be understated as Bayern have hit again in Tuchel’s first recreation simply when their Bundesliga dominance appeared prefer it could be about to fade. Nagelsmann’s facet didn’t strike worry into their opponents in the identical manner that Hansi Flick’s all-conquering Bayern did earlier than them however Tuchel’s first outing means that the Bavarians’ worry issue may very well be on its manner again. All of the sudden, a one-point deficit has been changed into a two-point lead and DFB Pokal success in addition to the UEFA Champions League actually stays on the playing cards.
Ominous for Metropolis
That UCL matchup between Metropolis and Bayern favored Pep Guardiola’s males up till Tuchel changed Nagelsmann however now it doesn’t appear so easy. With Erling Haaland combating harm and Julian Alvarez anticipated to select up the slack, the German tactician has the prospect to doubtlessly engineer Metropolis’s European downfall as soon as extra — as he did with Chelsea within the 2021 last in Porto. There’s nonetheless work to be finished earlier than the opening leg, notably a cup and league doubleheader towards SC Freiburg, however Tuchel’s Bayern might be a lot more durable to eliminate than Nagelsmann’s based mostly on this early proof.