FC Bayern started the new Bundesliga season with an emphatic 4-0 win over Werder Bremen. Thomas Tuchel found many words of praise in the aftermath
It was much easier for Thomas Tuchel to go in front of the microphones on Friday evening than it was six days ago. His FC Bayern won the opening game of the 61st Bundesliga season with a commanding 4-0 victory over Werder Bremen, providing the perfect answer to the 0:3 in the Supercup against Leipzig. “We didn’t have any ups and downs,” Tuchel recognised at the DAZN microphone and attributed the improved performance to that. He said his team had delivered a game “at a high level” in terms of “concentration, energy, compactness and commitment”.
Only after the break did FC Bayern wobble briefly, Bremen sniffed at a possible equaliser in this phase, but failed to capitalise on three final situations. Tuchel said: “We were a bit sloppy, lost second balls. We got through those ten minutes together.” The game was open for 74 minutes at the Weserstadion, partly because Kingsley Coman had only hit the post in the meantime – but then Harry Kane was on the spot: The Munich record transfer scored for the first time for the record champions with his second goal of the game and thus made everything clear.
Praise for Goretzka and Kimmich
In addition, Kane also provided the assist for Leroy Sané to make it 1-0 before he had to leave the field shortly before the end, probably due to muscular problems. “Good is not enough, this is absolutely top,” Tuchel said of his number 9’s Bundesliga debut, adding that Kane’s goal was “a classic”, “he leaves the option open for a long time that the goalkeeper doesn’t know which corner he shoots into.” Bremen’s Jiri Pavlenka was eventually beaten in the left corner, after which Werder ran out of steam and the Munich side went on to push up the score.
What pleased Tuchel most at the end? “That we played to nil and took the lead, that hasn’t happened for so long. That’s good for everyone.” A big part of that in Bremen was also the counter-attacking protection, which mostly worked this time, provided by Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, who started somewhat surprisingly for Konrad Laimer. “The two of them looked after each other well today,” praised Tuchel.
In the game with the ball, however, players and coach still have to get to know each other properly. “The characteristic of our midfielders is that they move a lot, are on the ball a lot and take a lot of contact. I know it more that the game moves around the central midfielders. We still have to adapt to each other there,” Tuchel said. Meanwhile, the duo have gathered enough arguments for another nomination for the starting eleven.
Neuer back in team training soon
A soon option should also become Manuel Neuer. Tuchel expects his regular keeper back in team training in two to three weeks. “The prognosis has shortened considerably,” said the Bayern coach, who is relying on Sven Ulreich as number 1 until then
