Bayern Munich 3-1 RB Leipzig: Takeaways from Telekom Cup victory
Bayern Munich put up a complete display and dismantled arch-rival RB Leipzig in the final pre-season game of the summer. Goals from Luis Diaz, Nathaniel Brown and Jamal Musiala were more than enough for Bayern Munich to clinch 3-1 win against RB Leipzig and lift the Telekom Cup.
Bayern Munich came out firing early when Luis Diaz capitalised on a deflected clearance and slotted it home.RB Leipzig came out of the second half with a different level of energy. After great efforts from Johan Bakayoko, Brajan Gruda equalised for the away side with a clean volley.
But that was everything Leipzig could do at the Allianz Arena. Aleksandar Pavlovic threaded the needle to find a running Nathaniel Brown, and the new signing put the ball in the back of the net for his first goal in Bayern colours.
Another new signing making good strides was Ismael Saibari. He weaved his way through four defenders before setting up Jamal Musiala to clinch 3-1. Bayern Munich's season preparation is coming along nicely. Here are three takeaways from the win against RB Leipzig.
Sacha Boey excelling in the right-back role this summer
Bayern Munich suffered an unfortunate loss at right-back early in the game when Konrad Laimer came down injured and couldn't continue.Sacha Boey came on to replace the Austrian international and put up a decent performance.
The French full-back was energetic offensively, consistently making underlapping runs to combine with Tim Binder while also tracking back to fulfil defensive duties.
While his output and ability on the ball are still not up to par, Boey showcased a lot of positives, especially off the ball, against Leipzig. With Josip Stanisic and Konrad Laimer both coming down with illness and injury, it is Boey's chance to show why he deserves to stay.
Having said that, Max Eberl looks adamant about the decision to get rid of the Frenchman by the end of this transfer window. Nevertheless, it is great to see Boey develop and improve as a Bayern player.
Saibari-Musiala duo could work for Bayern Munich
Many fans assume that with the signing of Ismael Saibari, Bayern Munich might essentially be giving up on Jamal Musiala. That is definitely not the case. These two talented players can cooperate and live together in the stacked offence Bayern Munich is building.
Both players enjoy roaming freely, finding pockets of space and making explosive dribbles. They have top-notch positioning and football IQs that allow them to do well both on and off the ball. The third goal was the clear-cut proof of this dynamic, when Saibari took on four defenders before laying it off to Musiala, who already found space to take the shot.
With both Saibari and Musiala on the pitch, Bayern's attack feels more unpredictable and creative down the middle, which can help open up space for Michael Olise and Luis Diaz down the flanks.The duo’s off-the-field dynamic and antics were also amazing to witness. When Musiala nearly collapsed, Saibari was the first to run to his teammate.
Bayern's midfield trio impressed together
There is a world where Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof all play together in midfield. During the first 70 minutes of the game, Vincent Kompany used all three of his midfielders at the same time, with Kimmich playing the deepest next to the centre-backs and Pavlovic and Bischof more advanced.
With the trio on the field, Bayern Munich dominated possession and midfield control. RB Leipzig simply could not touch them. However, they also leave a big question on final-third creative efficiency, with all three flourishing in dictating plays and creating from deep, especially without proper creators up front like Harry Kane and Michael Olise.
Having said that, this midfield trio set-up could be perfect for games when Bayern want to control the situation and take their game to the opponents.
This midfield combination’s flaws in final-third creativity will hopefully be complemented by the return of Olise and Kane. Even the likes of Saibari, Gnabry or Musiala as the false 9 could bring a lot of positivity in possession.
