20th matchday: Bayern win – Nagelsmann: Not enough against PSG

The Bayern stars got in the mood for the big Champions League celebration in front of the crowd, while coach Julian Nagelsmann voiced warnings for the duel with Paris Saint-Germain just a few meters away.

“If we play like this on Tuesday, it won’t be enough to progress,” said the 35-year-old on the Sky microphone after the mandatory win against VfL Bochum.

Victory after faux pas by Bochum

In the 3-0 (1-0) game and the claimed lead in the Bundesliga, the Munich side initially benefited from a fatal bad pass by guest defender Saidy Janko, who put Thomas Müller in the limelight when he scored the opening goal (41st minute). “You never know, something can always go wrong,” said Müller. The captain was happy about “a mixture of good responsiveness, a pinch of luck and an irresistible left glue”. The ball tumbled into the goal without much force.

With more offensive speed after the break, substitute Kingsley Coman (64th) and Serge Gnabry (74th / penalty kick) made for a Saturday afternoon befitting the Munich team. However, the series champions were far from a 7-0 win as in the first leg.

Nagelsmann gives a short speech – there is no flow

“When we’re playing at full throttle, it’s football, it’s fun when I move properly and put a bit of enthusiasm on the field,” criticized Nagelsmann. “In the end it’s a bit too little life, we don’t have a great flow now. We’re a point up in the Bundesliga and no more.” After all, unlike PSG, Bayern won the dress rehearsal. Without Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, the Croesus squad from Paris lost 3-1 at AS Monaco to goalkeeper Alexander Nübel.

The fact that Nagelsmann did not like the performance of his own ensemble three days before the round of 16 first leg in the French capital could be seen again and again in front of 75,000 spectators. His visit to the dressing room at half-time was also surprisingly short. He didn’t have the feeling “that it makes sense to show scenes. We discussed a few other things, but that was done in 1:30,” said Nagelsmann. “I think one or the other player has spoken up. Hopefully.”

Of course, the players also talked to each other, said Leon Goretzka and reported on Nagelsmann’s speech: “I didn’t think it was that short because it was quite intense, to be honest.” Nagelsmann then gave Alphonso Davies, who had come on for Thomas Müller, a few instructions on the Allianz Arena lawn during the break. Then Nagelsmann, who had seen a yellow card a few minutes before the half-time whistle for protesting too vehemently after a foul, sat down on the coach’s bench and looked at his tablet there.

Hardly any highlights in the game

“Especially in the first half we missed a lot in terms of commitment,” Goretzka admitted after the game against his youth club. Munich were clearly the superior team, but they often lacked speed and consistency in their attacks. In keeping with the atmospheric setting of the supporters of both clubs, who celebrated their 50-year-long fan friendship with chants and a red-blue choreography, things also got down to business on the pitch for long stretches without any thrills or highlights.

The suspended Joshua Kimmich, who is supposed to provide more energy on the pitch against Paris, saw a lot more speed in Munich’s offensive actions from his seat in the second half. But that’s not enough for the PSG showdown. But Bayern acted with more consistency and force. The in-form and initially rested Coman relieved the tension after a nice combination through the center of the overall one-sided game. Gnabry, an eye-catcher with a fashionable braid, safely converted a penalty kick caused by unlucky Janko.