FC Bayern against Union Berlin: So you are only people

Thomas Müller saw it coming. 495 games for FC Bayern, 131 missions in the national team, you probably have what you call “a nose” in football. In any case, the man who has already seen everything was seen wildly on the sidelines in the 83rd minute. The excitement in the high-red face, something roared in Müller, as a noble reservist while warm, towards Bavaria-and it had already happened: flank from the right, slightly deflected, Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig fell unhappily, half-links suddenly appears Benedict Hollerbach and scored 1-1 for Union Berlin.

This was preceded by a demonstration of oppressive superiority. Class struggle on the green lawn of the old forester’s, football capitalist a nobility against league proletariat, talent in excess against decent, stubborn football workers. The Millionarios from Munich took the ball from the first minute of the game and no longer gave it. The fuses must have been flown out of all football databases: around 85 percent possession for FC Bayern-mind you, in an away game. Mind you in one of the most feared arenas in the Bundesliga, tight stadium box with a terrifying sound.

There, a cozy underdog feeling spread among the fans. Every tackle: cheers like a goal by falling back. Every liberation, according to a good old German football type far into the sky over Berlin-Köpenick: celebrated as a heroic deed of those who are not on the sunny side of the football business. None of this was nice to look at. But if you are loved so little by history, it’s not about beauty – but about football self -defense.

The FC Bayern jewel Jamal Musiala alone has a market value of 140 million euros-that is more than the entire Union Berlin squad would currently throw off the sales trap. Worlds met: league leaders against relegation candidate, a star ensemble with Kane, Kimmich, Gnabry, Sané or the irresistible Olise against the Trimmers and Haberers of the world. Unfortunately, they were not allowed to play along, but at best as extras the artists in the Bavaria jersey in their endless ball relays in the Guardiola style: sweat behind.

Union coach Steffen Baumgart, who had to attend the football demonstration in the stands because of a complaint from the last game of the football demonstration, admitted frankly after the game that his team had “parked a bus” at his own penalty area in order to barricade the 90 minutes in this way. And told that he “did not have the feeling that it was enough for one point”.

In fact, the FC Bayern game was so unused for long distances that one could think that jungle could soon grow on the unattended green lawn there. Meanwhile, they roared bravely on the “forest side”, where the Union ultras are: “Here the FCU rules!” But FC Bayern ruled only here and the “FCU” was allowed to watch one thing.

Only the fact that the Bayern ensemble played out remarkably few real scoring chances gave the Union coach hope. But after the substitute Leroy Sané had pushed in the 75th minute cool and flat to 1-0 for FC Bayern, everything seemed done. Until the compensation of the Berlin football proletariat shortly before the end. Now, you rubbed your eyes, the Unioners even started some wild attack attempts.

If the 2-1 had even fallen now, one would have experienced one of those unforgettable moments in the Union history, in which the impossible is still made possible and the stadium spokesman would also like to run with the microphone in hand after the final whistle and find out: “Dear Unioner, this is one of the days for whom it is worth living.”

As with the rather sensational 2: 3 home defeat against VfL Bochum, it was also evident in Berlin that the ball artists from Munich, especially in everyday gray Bundesliga life against football underground dogs, are very difficult. The specialty of coach Vincent Kompany: the opponent starts extremely high so that ball winnings in the dangerous zone near the opposing gate and then turn them into depth with lightning -fast combinations – it naturally works rather bad if you have the ball yourself all the time. Teams like Union Berlin who park the “bus” in their own penalty area can even annoy stars like those from Munich. At some point, when the passes become too inaccurate and the longed -for gate fails, superior teams also have a tendency to adapt to the opponent’s significantly lower level.

In this respect, Kompany should be happy if the Champions League is finally back against a big one: Inter Milan is waiting in the quarter -finals. San Siro instead of old forester, play at eye level instead of class struggle against likeable, but also in their possibilities limited ball treads that – who wants to blame them? – mainly relocate to destroy. Against Inter, it is the case again real football.

But this afternoon we owe an important finding in the old forestry in Berlin-Köpenick. The wonderful players in the jersey of FC Bayern, who can float the field with the ball on the foot on the foot – in the end they are only humans.