Borussia Mönchengladbach has once again proven itself to be a Bayern specialist and has at least given the entire Bundesliga some hope. The guests around the goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who had been gigantic for a long time, fought a 1-1 (1-0) win in the top game of the Bundesliga on Saturday evening in the Allianz Arena. Marcus Thuram (43rd) scored after a blackout from Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano for a surprising half-time lead for Gladbach.
The Munich Tor-und-Sieg-Express, which was so overwhelming at the start of the season, needed up to the 83rd minute this time before the strong Leroy Sané hit the target with a well-placed left-footed shot from Jamal Musiala. With ten points, Bayern maintained their lead in front of Union Berlin, who are tied. Gladbach has a good eight points.
75,000 spectators in the sold-out Allianz Arena couldn’t believe their eyes for a long time. Bayern seemed to beat themselves – in the back with a capital blackout by Upamecano when conceding a goal. And up front, the 15-goal machine for the first three matchdays faltered, the ball just couldn’t find its way into the goal – until Sané struck.
A strange incident occurs in the middle of the game. Two spectators run onto the field in the 17th minute and want to tie themselves to the posts of the goals of Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer and Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer. Several folders rush over and can prevent them. Special excitement: One of the two spectators is bumped into by Bayern player Thomas Müller. After a short time, the two troublemakers are taken away by the stewards. According to commentator Wolff-Christoph Fuss from the broadcaster Sky, the words “Stop the fossil madness” could be read on the clothing.
A highlight was the 61st minute, when star striker Sadio Mané failed twice free-standing in the seemingly invincible summer. Before the break, the Senegalese were denied two offside goals by video evidence (34th/39th minute). It was almost surreal how Daniel Farke’s hard-fighting Gladbachers initially withstood Bayern’s attack.
Before the game, there was a lot of talk about whether Gladbach were a “fear of opponents” for Bayern because of their good recent record against the record champions, including last year’s 5-0 cup gala. “The answer will be there on Saturday evening,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Friday, adding: “Our players are not afraid of any opponent, not even Gladbach.”
That’s how they played – but then defensive giant Upamecano made a serious mistake. The 23-year-old Frenchman, whom Nagelsmann preferred in defense to newcomer Matthijs de Ligt, had one of those dropouts that had cast doubts on him last season. After a throw-in, Gladbach’s Jörg Kramer hit the ball up and forward from his own half. Upamecano wanted to clear it up easily, missed the ball – and Thuram irresistibly stormed towards the Bayern goal. The Frenchman also overcame the helpless national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. “Catastrophic mistake,” judged record national player Lothar Matthäus as a Sky expert.
The scene turned the game upside down and meant Bayern’s first deficit of the season. They should have been in the lead long ago. There was a kind of permanent siege of the Gladbach half. But Sommer made a splendid save from the first action when Mané headed the ball.
