This last installment of Der Klassiker – the Bundesliga’s go-to game with the general pace, trickery and thrill of momentous gala matches – was atypical in many ways. The match was distinctly different from the Pep Guardiola era, when an obsession with both possession and pressing sugarcoated other deficiencies at Bayern Munich. From the kickoff, Munich weren’t shy of ceding possession to Borussia Dortmund.
Mario Gotze exploited the leeway given by the visitors: he ran in between the lines and drifted from the centre to the left. In the 10th minute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang flicked the ball to Schurrle, who passed to Gotze. The diminutive German’s precise cross was tapped into the net by Aubameyang. The prolific Gabonese netted his 15th goal of the season.
The Ancelotti blueprint
Bayern reacted. That is what the Bavarians do this season – they react at times, they don’t always act. Their game has become somewhat passive. They inhibit an universe so alternate from what Guardiola had envisaged, where proactive play was preferred over reactive play. Slowly, Carlo Ancelotti, who arrived at the club this summer, is dismantling the Guardiola blueprint. But the alternative the Italian is presenting has been unsatisfactory – by Bavarian standards.
Bayern Munich were unbeaten in the Bundesliga, advanced to the round of 16 in the Champions League with two games to spare, and reached the third round of the German cup, the DFB Pokal. But Bayern’s game has lacked cohesiveness. They have not achieved Guardiolian greatness so far this season. Not that Munich was universally enamored by the Spaniard – his lack of Champions League silverware relegated him to a coach of mere mortal proportions.
This season, Bayern have been decent, but without the virtues and decorum of a great club. Their 1-1 draw against TSG Hoffenheim before the international break was an indictment. Munich were poor, both in their passing and positioning, reliant on flashes of individual brilliance. Bayern no longer possess that manic trait of dissecting opponents with cold precision.
Against Dortmund, Bayern were often slow and sluggish. They had an ungainly dysfunctionality about them. In the first half, the visitors barely conjured up half a chance. They applied pressure in the first 20 minutes after the restart, resulting in a dangerous, glancing header from Robert Lewandowski, a disallowed goal from Franck Ribery and Xabi Alonso’s attempt against the woodwork. They enjoyed 62% of possession, pinning Dortmund back into their own box.
Identity crisis
The hosts struggled to maintain the intensity they had demonstrated before the break. Dortmund have other problems to deal with this season. They have been very inconsistent, combining exquisite football with plenty of defective performances. Thomas Tuchel’s team are in transition as Dortmund ponder their identity: they are a traditionsverein, but the economic balance of power has made the Westphalains a feeder club. This summer, Dortmund sold Mats Hummels, Ilker Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The burning question is whether Dortmund maintain a predominant local imprint or aim for a more global appeal?
Bayern remained dominant in the match but, in spite of the possession, they were not inspiring, lacking creativity and penetration. Their individual class was non-existent. As the season has progressed, Philipp Lahm is showing signs of ageing. Xabi Alonso, anchor in the midfield, is 35. Ribery, on the wing, is 33. Thomas Muller has gone too long without goals, as his link-up play with Lewandowski is very fragmented. For all their experience, they may begin to slow Bayern.
Change of guard?
In Dortmund, the scoreline remained 1-0, a temporary injection of self-belief for Tuchel, and much microscopic spurn for Ancelotti. The December clash with Rasenballsport, Lawn Ball Sport, Leipzig now becomes pivotal for Munich to ensure their hegemony over the Bundesliga.
The Red Bull club are a rag-to-riches tale. In 2009, RB Leipzig was still a club in the fifth tier of German football, called SSV Markranstädt. Even in Saxony, SSV Markranstädt were an anonymity. Then, the Austrian energy drink manufacturer bought the club’s licence, tweaked its name, redesigned crest and kit, and promised a lavish transfer budget.
Dortmund, Munich and other clubs with a lengthy history and deep roots in society are averse to the rise of Leipzig. Supporters of Dortmund refused to travel to the East German city in protest of Leipzig’s commercial structure. They are the anti-thesis of football tradition, detractors claim. The corporate structure of the nouveau riche club may also undermine German football.
On Friday, Leipzig went top of the Bundesliga table with a 3-2 victory against Bayer Leverkussen. They now enjoy a three-points cushion over Munich. The behemoth of the German game may well feel threatened in their existence.