Bayern Munich’s much-anticipated clash against European champions PSG ended in a 2-0 loss for the Rekordmeister, following goals from Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé. This means Bayern’s journey in the inaugural edition of the new Club World Cup has come to an end. Here are some observations from the game.
Devastated for Jamal Musiala
First and foremost. Jamal Musiala suffered what can only be described as an absolutely terrible injury to his ankle at the end of the first half, following an unnecessary, overplayed and slightly malicious tackle from Gianluigi Donnarumma at the edge of the field. In what marked the German starlet’s first start following his injury in April, this is without a doubt extremely gutting. The injury looked very serious, and Musiala was stretchered off the pitch in agony. Even PSG players were horrified by the state of Musiala’s leg/ankle area. There is no point speculating; the most fans can do is pray Bambi makes a speedy recovery.
Musiala deserved far better than to meet such a fate. Having skipped the Nations League to focus on getting completely ready for this tournament, getting injured in such a manner must be heartbreaking. Fans are finding it hard to imagine what Musiala must be going through, let alone what this might mean for his career. His tears and pain resonate with every Bayern fan in the world. Losing time at such a crucial stage in his career, a career so promising and bright, is an excruciating thought. Musiala’s talent will be sorely missed — and here’s to hoping he is alright.
It is difficult now to talk about a football game after Bayern’s most important player suffered such a horrific injury. But we must.
Bayern Munich had the (almost) perfect game plan
Vincent Kompany set this team up to win from the very get-go. The lineup was perfect, and it was clear that this was the very moment Kompany was waiting for to play this XI. The game plan was even better — by upping the tempo and maintaining the game’s intensity, Kompany managed to mask Bayern’s insecurities and played on his strengths. Bayern’s quick wing play, speedy buildup by bypassing the midfield entirely, and added focus on going forward were exactly what they needed in a game such as this. Bayern countering PSG relentlessly pressing them with equal pressure of their own was not only a joy to watch but also a brilliant way to face a technically superior team. For all the talk about Kompany’s competence as a coach recently, he showed he knows what he is doing on the big stage.
That is, for the most part. It quickly became clear that Bayern do not have practice playing with such intensity or against teams of PSG’s level. The lack of coordination became visible as the game progressed, and the dispossessions in crucial areas gave PSG clear chances on goal.
The bigger issue was the extremely risky highline Bayern played. Watching Bayern’s defence caught on the counter and scrambling behind lightning-fast PSG forwards became a running trend (pun intended), and that was down to the easily exploitable defensive set-up. Sure, it gave Bayern a much-needed boost in build-up, but it came with serious consequences defensively. In that aspect, PSG’s tactics with a more fluid structure that was able to cover ground more effectively saw them maintain a solid defensive structure without compromising their chance-creation.
In the end, this is something for Kompany to build upon. There is a lot that can be done here, but it was also clear that this is a game the players aren’t accustomed to playing.
Chances for both sides, but PSG took the crown
It is almost every matchday that this complaint pops up: Bayern Munich simply weren’t clinical enough. Bayern caught PSG off guard with their setup and were able to penetrate their box far more often, but they failed to capitalize. This came off the back of a fairly weak Michael Olise performance before he settled into the game, and a performance that reminded us why Kingsley Coman was a candidate for sale. Konrad Laimer made his fair share of blunders, and Harry Kane’s missed header early on sent what was a surefire goal above the crossbar, a moment that captured his game in itself. The second half wasn’t much better as Musiala’s replacement (he didn’t look very sharp himself!) Serge Gnabry was absolutely abysmal. Bayern had their moments to capitalize, and didn’t take it.
PSG weren’t far better in the first half. Bayern’s pivot completely nullified the PSG midfield in the first half, courtesy of a fantastic game from Aleksandar Pavlović, forcing them to play through their wingers. PSG’s wingers rose to the challenge and created clear chances for themselves in admirable fashion (admittedly due to lapses in judgement from Jonathan Tah & Co.), but fell short in front of the goal.
This changed in the second half and PSG’s opener showed that very adaptation that tipped the game in the Parisians’ favour. João Neves had an early break following a dispossesion of Kane but slowed the pace of the attack, completed a quick one-two, allowing PSG players to occupy the box in their typical 2-3 formation while also allowing Bayern to regain structure. This allowed Neves a variety of options to pass to, and PSG were able to complete a sequence that looked rehearsed and perfected. Doué’s incredible strike took Bayern’s now-structured defense by surprise and sent Neuer the wrong way. By taking chances on the break in a more sustained manner, PSG were able to overcome their limitations and even allowed their midfield to ease back into the game. The same approach showed when they scored the second with just nine men, as Achraf Hakimi toyed with the Bayern defence and laid Dembélé up for a perfect finish. Fewer players, same idea. Sure, it does help that PSG has technically better forwards than Bayern. But maybe that is something for Bayern to work on over the summer.
A note on Manuel Neuer & Thomas Müller
Manuel Neuer has been written off time and time again, and he continues to show why he is Bayern’s #1. Enough cannot be said about his game today. He kept the German champions in the game countless times, saving the most even the most certain goals. Almost nothing got past him for the most part. Fantastic game, yet another hall of fame performance with some promising candidates for Save of the Tournament.
Thomas Müller, unfortunately, played his final game for Bayern Munich today. This is far from the send-off he deserves, especially after everything that went down with Musiala. Yet he almost won a penalty in his cameo and saw the end to one of the most dramatic games in recent history. He couldn’t leave without a bit of fun and drama. Müller, forever Bayern. Good luck to the Raumdeuter in his future endeavors. It is difficult to imagine FC Bayern without him.
Neither the loss nor the tournament means much
Sorry, but it had to be said. And this is not because Bayern lost today.
The new Club World Cup is nothing more than FIFA’s attempt to generate more money at the players’ expense. This is a loss that resonates no more than any ordinary game.
The tournament crams even more games into the footballing year, whose schedule becomes increasingly more packed every season. And the players are at serious risk. Playing all these games is one thing, but the conditions the players play in at this new tournament are nothing short of diabolical. Record temperatures, different cities scattered across a country on the other side of the world. Poor pitches, as today showed. Musiala’s injury came as a result of poor pitch management, causing his leg to get lodged into the grass, which is why Gianluigi Donnarumma’s tackle had the devastating impact that it did. And to no one’s surprise, the same stadium today is booked for a Beyoncé concert the same week.
The loss? Bayern have lost their star player likely for an extended amount of time in a tournament that, as it stands today, has little footballing relevance. Musiala’s injury is the worst part of the defeat. The Rekordmeister will look to react well to the transfer market, recoup, and strategize for the upcoming season.
What did you think about the game? Do you agree or disagree with the observations? Tell us everything in the comments below!
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s devastating 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup — and a reaction to the horrific injury sustained by Jamal Musiala? Well, we have you covered with the latest edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show. You can get the podcast on Patreon, Acast, Spotify, any leading podcast distributor, or below:
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