With all eyes on the Allianz Arena on Saturday night, Bayern Munich kicked off Thomas Tuchel’s career with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Bundesliga title rivals Borussia Dortmund.
While the German champions may have shocked many last week by sacking Julian Nagelsmann, the ex-Chelsea boss certainly started his tenure with a statement on home soil.
A storm en route to a runaway 3-0 lead before half time as Thomas Müller’s brace quickly followed up on a stunning own goal by Gregor Kobel, the Bavarians couldn’t have wished for a better comeback after the international break.
With Kingsley Coman adding a fourth player just six minutes into the break, Dortmund will know they’re in for a lot of attention after another blowout at the Allianz.
Although Emre Can and Donyell Malen could have had a couple of consolation shots outside of rural Germany, BVB missed the chance to expand their buffer at the top of the Bundesliga table.
As Bayern edge past their main rivals to take pole position to make even more Bundesliga history this season, we’ve covered the main topics for discussion in Saturday’s match in Munich.
Tuchel’s reign begins with a dream
While Bayern could have made it to the Champions League quarter-finals on 8 March thanks to a stellar 3-0 win over PSG, it wasn’t enough to save Nagelsmann from a blow.
While the German giants could have entered the March international break just two points behind Saturday’s visitors, it has been suggested that Bayern management were desperate to bring Tuchel back to Germany.
While the former Chelsea boss may have been jobless since leaving Stamford Bridge last year, Tuchel has already shown why he is regarded as one of Europe’s elite tacticians.
Having led Chelsea to just a second European crown during his time in west London, the former Borussia Dortmund manager couldn’t have dreamed of a better start to life at the Allianz Arena.
While Bayern may have entered a two-week break with a 2-1 defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen, Saturday’s hosts will now pause in their quest to claim an 11th straight home crown this season.
Having found a way to return to the top of the Bundesliga table and still shoot this year’s Champions League, Tuchel will be looking to build a real dynasty in Munich.
Another Munich nightmare for the BVB
Celebrating their comeback after the international break with a one-point margin at the top of the Bundesliga table, Dortmund smelled the chance to make an important domestic statement here.
However, while Saturday’s guests may have continued to receive accolades from across Germany on both sides of the holiday break, the BVB will simply be happy to see their bitter rivals’ backs.
Knowing that their 4-2 victory here could prove to be a decisive miscalculation in their quest to claim their first home crown in over a decade, Terzic’s team also gained a real reputation for their nightmarish run in Munich.
Borussia Dortmund, now seen as the main underdog in their quest to topple Bayern, have now lost each of their last seven trips to the Allianz Arena in a row – a streak that dates back to July 2017.
Similarly, after suffering a customary 3-1 defeat when they traveled to Munich for the Bundesliga meeting last season, BVB landed a staggering 28 strikes across all competitions.
Although Terzic’s side will face easier trials, Saturday’s latest blow could be a real psychological blow for the underdogs of the title.
Müller could join Bayern
With Nagelsmann unexpectedly relieved of his duties over the weekend, rumors swirled all over Germany that the former RB Leipzig boss had fallen out heavily with many of Bayern’s first team stars.
However, while one might assume that Müller and Nagelsmann didn’t see eye to eye, the 33-year-old certainly showed why he is still a key player for Bayern and their job is to make more Bundesliga history in 2023.
Although the German international could have celebrated his personal comeback from the international break in the midst of a seven-match goalless streak, Müller caused a number of problems for the Dortmund defense on Saturday night.
Having recorded his first double in the Bundesliga this season here after a slew of injuries ahead of the World Cup winter break, Müller already appears to be enjoying a new life under Tuchel.
As players like Sadio Mane continue to struggle after making a blockbuster from Premier League heavyweight Liverpool last summer, Tuchel was quick to praise Müller’s performance and stated what a crucial role the international will have to play in 121 caps in the coming weeks .
Match report
Bayern Munich: Sommer, Pavard, Upamecano, de Ligt, Davis, Kimmich, Goretzka, Sane, Miller, Coman, Shupo-Moting
Subscriptions: Gnabry, Canselou, Manet, Musiala, Gravenberh
Borussia Dortmund: Male, Wolf, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson, Brandt, Bellingham, Kahn, Guerreiro, Royce, Haller
Subscriptions: Ozcan, Daoud, Mukoko, Malen, Hummels
Goals: Bayern Munich: Male OI (13′), Müller (18′, 23′), Coman (50′) – Borussia Dortmund: Can (72′ from the penalty spot), Malen (90′)
Yellow cards: Bayern Munich: Upamecano – Borussia Dortmund: Caen
Red cards: N/A
Judge: Marco Fritz