Bundesliga: Kane’s coolness and the comeback of Munich’s dominance

Gambling with Harry Kane in a penalty duel can backfire for a goalkeeper. When Bayern’s striker picked up the ball at the point against Union Berlin, Frederik Rönnow simply pointed cheekily with his right hand into the right corner of the goal. Hey Harry, shoot there, said the gesture that was supposed to unsettle the Englishman. But Kane knew from watching video clips that Rönnow “has a tendency to do that” with penalties, as he revealed after Munich’s 3-0 (2-0).

Bayern’s Mr. Reliable stayed cool and sank the ball flat, sharp and placed in the indicated corner. Rönnow dove into space. “I’m just following my routine and focusing on what I want to do,” reported Kane after converting his eighth Bundesliga penalty. His quota in the Bayern jersey remains at 100 percent.

The scene from the 15th minute that ushered in the league leaders’ victory symbolizes the self-image that Bayern is currently building under Vincent Kompany. 5-0 in Bochum, 4-0 in the DFB Cup in Mainz, 3-0 against Union: Bayern’s reaction to the 4-1 defeat at FC Barcelona, ​​which raised major doubts about Kompany’s football, was a perfect week.

Just played a bad half in Barcelona

It’s happening nationally – and the international answer should follow on Wednesday (9 p.m./DAZN) in the home game against Benfica Lisbon. “It’s a big game. We didn’t start well in the Champions League. The pressure is there in every game now,” said Kane.

“After a big defeat you’re automatically hungrier to come back with some strong performances,” he said. Kane gave Rönnow a second goal on Saturday and was also instrumental in Kingsley Coman’s wonderful 2-0 win. “Since Barcelona we have all shown a good reaction, the attacking players, the defensive players. Everyone is on the right track,” said Kane.

Shortly after Kane, sports director Max Eberl stood in the interview zone with his legs apart and gave a few words of authority to the Bundesliga competition. “We made a statement in the first nine games of the season. We only played a bad half, in Barcelona. And there’s a lot of focus on that,” said Eberl.

Eberl’s announcement: take back the championship trophy

But the reality is: “We have now won three games in a row to zero in a very stable manner.” In the second half against Union they “played like a top team,” praised Eberl. And that after a drastic change in the summer “with a new coach and a new style of football”.

“The main focus is that we get back the championship we lost,” Eberl’s eulogy ended. They like to look at the table and the point gaps again in Munich after the previous season without a title. Three points ahead of Leipzig, six ahead of Frankfurt, seven each ahead of champions Leverkusen and Dortmund. And even ten points ahead of runner-up VfB Stuttgart: the balance of power in football Germany seems to have been straightened out again.

Kompany’s winning formula and an 18-year-old debutant

“It’s clear: the path we’re currently taking not only brings some great style of play, but simply brings results,” said Thomas Müller. For Kompany, the formula for success goes like this. Top players + hard work = lots of wins. “Last season we didn’t win anything. And that’s sometimes the biggest motivation,” said the Belgian. “Every game at the moment is fun with the dominance we have,” announced Kane.

Kompany was even able to replace some top performers early against Union and thus conserve energy for Benfica. The course of the game made it possible for him to make his professional debut. In the last ten minutes, 18-year-old Adam Aznou replaced birthday boy Alphonso Davies (24) as left full-back.

“We think very highly of Adam. He has an extremely great talent,” said Eberl. The Moroccan international came from FC Barcelona two years ago. He moved to the Bayern campus from the famous La Masia youth academy. “I’m very satisfied and proud,” said Aznou happily after his debut: “Bayern is one of the best teams in the world. I have to be patient, keep working and always stick with it.”