Bayern Munich 6-1 RB Leipzig: Takeaways from Matchday 6 of the Bundesliga
Bayern Munich endured a slow start to October. After returning from a long international break, Bayern were held to high-scoring draws against Augsburg and Viking in the Bundesliga and Champions League, respectively. There was criticism regarding Die Roten’s performances, but they managed to silence those critics against RB Leipzig.
The defending Bundesliga champions gave Leipzig no breathing space on Saturday to clinch a comfortable 6-1 victory. Courtesy of this win and other results in the Bundesliga over the weekend, Bayern moved to the top of the Bundesliga.
Ahead of their big Champions League game against Arsenal on Wednesday, it is a good time to reflect on the takeaways from Die Roten’s performance against RB Leipzig.
Bayern deliver their best performance of the season
Bayern had scored seven against Union Berlin in September, but the performance against RB Leipzig was much better. The Bavarian club dominated in all facets of the game at Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany’s men were ruthless in possession. They had 62% of the possession in the game. Along with keeping the ball, Bayern players ensured they kept on creating chances. Bayern’s expected goal tally was 3.40 as they had 17 shots on goal. Die Roten also had 48 touches in the final third compared to Leipzig’s 23 touches.
Despite conceding a goal late in the game, Bayern were solid defensively. They ensured that RB Leipzig had only four shots on target in the entire game. Given these numbers and the quality Bayern showed in the final third, it is fair to say that the win against RB Leipzig was their best performance of the season so far.
Luis Diaz has silenced critics with ease
After scoring only one goal in seven games across all competitions, eyebrows were raised around Luis Diaz’s form. There were concerns that it could be a second-season syndrome, where he is struggling to keep up with the incredible levels he showed last season.
However, it looks like a matter of getting adequate rest for Diaz to get back to his best. After playing non-stop for the last 12 months, Diaz got a chance to rest and recover during the international break. The 29-year-old opted out of games for Colombia after having a fruitful discussion with the national team head coach.
The impact of getting rest was visible in Diaz’s performance against Augsburg and Viking. He got on the scoresheet against the Norwegian side. His performance against RB Leipzig has ensured that his critics are completely silenced.
The Colombian was relentless throughout the game. He scored three great goals and set up one goal for Aleksandar Pavlovic. Diaz created three chances in the game. The 29-year-old’s three goals showed his ability to stretch defenses and the variety of finishes he has in his locker. The Bavarian faithful will be pleased to see Diaz back to scoring for fun.
Aleksandar Pavlovic evolving into complete midfielder
Joshua Kimmich has been a key man for Bayern in the center of the park for several seasons. His performance against RB Leipzig was excellent. However, there is much more to talk about his partner in the midfield, Aleksandar Pavlovic.
The 22-year-old midfielder was not completely fit for the game for Bayern. However, he was fit to start the game and play for an hour. Pavlovic ended up making a significant impact in the hour he played.
The German international had a pass completion rate of 92% against RB Leipzig. He created three chances in the game and had 9 passes in the final third. Pavlovic also got himself on the scoresheet by perfectly timing his run in the box.
Along with excelling in possession, Pavlovic was also solid defensively against RB Leipzig. He made four recoveries in the game. The 60 minutes against Leipzig showed why Pavlovic is evolving into a complete midfielder, excelling defensively and offensively.
Stats courtesy- Fotmob
Bayern Munich looking to sell €30 million fullback in January after failing in the summer
Bayern Amateurs secure 4-2 victory in first 'Stadsderby' vs 1860 in five years
Bayern Munich averts ‘crisis’ with 6-1 hammering of RB Leipzig on matchday 6 of the Bundesliga
Bayern U19 suffer defeat in 'S-Bahn Derby' against SpVgg Unterhaching
Max Eberl's comments on Bayern Munich's squad could come back to bite them
