Bayern Munich 2-1 Freiburg: Player ratings as the Bavarians manage to keep top spot
In a tumultuous weekend where title challengers Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen all dropped points, Bayern Munich bucked the trend to register a 2-1 win over mid-table side SC Freiburg.
Strikes from club talismans Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller ensured the Bavarians a four-point cushion over second-placed RB Leipzig.
Coach Hansi Flick named a full-strength side for this key fixture. As many as six changes were made from the XI that succumbed to a shock defeat against second-tier Holstein Kiel FC in the midweek cup fixture.
Jerome Boateng and Kingsley Coman made a return to the side after an extended period out. On the other hand, Leroy Sane, who had started all the games since the turn of the year, was on the bench.
The XI was largely reminiscent of the one that featured in Lisbon against PSG in the 2020 UEFA Champions League final.
The visitors could not have asked for a better situation to make the tough trip to the defending champions' den. They themselves were on a high, having won their last two league games convincingly and scoring eight goals in the process.
The hosts had lost back-to-back games too and any kind of slip-up could have proved costly in this season's title race.
The game started along expected lines, with the German giants' movement causing panic in the visitors' box. And it didn't take long for Bayern to open the scoring.
Thomas Muller's slick through-ball found Robert Lewandowski, and the Polish superstar found the net yet again with a cool low finish. Bayern kept mounting the pressure as Freiburg did their level best to stay compact and prevent further damage.
In the 28th minute, Serge Ganbry picked up a niggle and could not continue. In came summer signing Leroy Sane as Bayern continued to keep up the tempo until half-time.
The likes of Coman, Sane, Muller and Lewandowski, all managed to create half-chances. For what it's worth, Freiburg did well to keep their shape against a quality opponent.
The second half started with Freiburg trying to press more, which resulted in a couple of pacy breaks, but did come with some needless bookings.
The hosts did not let their foot off the pedal and should have doubled their lead, only for Lewandowski to hit the woodwork from close range.
The visitors finally got their moment in the 61st minute as super-sub and Bundesliga veteran Nils Petersen scored with his first touch of the night. He poked home a header off a corner at the far post past Manuel Neuer's goalline.
With parity restored, most would say it wasn't a clear reflection of what was transpiring on the pitch. And deservingly so, Bayern Munich went 2-1 up in the 74th minute as talisman Thomas Muller managed to score with a scrappy shot after Leroy Sane chested down a cross for him.
While this ultimately did seal the game for the hosts, the scoreline could have been different had it not been for Robert Lewandowski scuffing his shot with ten minutes to go. Or even Freiburg's Nils Petersen's wayward attempt hitting the crossbar in the dying stages.
In the end, Bayern Munich managed to arrest their mini-downward slide with a hard-fought victory against a compact, well-organised and determined Freiburg side.
With a goal and an assist to his name, Thomas Muller was the player of the match.
Let us take a look at how the hosts fared on a scale of 1-10:
Bayern Munich Player Ratings :
Manuel Neuer - 7/10
The German "sweeper-keeper" would have been distraught at not keeping a clean sheet, having nearly saved Freiburg's only goal on the evening. He did not have much to do otherwise though against a largely disjointed attack.
Benjamin Pavard - 6.5/10
The World-cup winning right-back did not offer too much offensively and was a little rickety at the back in terms of man-marking. But with the visitors hardly playing the ball out wide, none of it can be a real talking point. The 24-year old showed commendable work-rate with a lot of running and pressing.
Jerome Boateng - 7/10
Making a return after a slight lay-off, Boateng had a solid game defensively. Was not at his very best, but did not make any big blunders either. The 32-year old even ventured forward often to help break down a resolute opposition.
David Alaba - 6/10
Alaba was the quieter of the two center-halves. A tidy game generally as the 33-year old did not make too many errors. With an uncertain future and a lot of transfer talk going on, a welcome team effort for the Austrian.
Alphonso Davies - 6.5/10
Known for his lightning speed, Davies could not put on a full show in what was a cagey affair of sorts. The 20-year old did trouble the visitors' midfield and defence to earn a few fouls, but failed to bring in the X-factor he is known to possess.
Joshua Kimmich - 7/10
A technically brilliant ball player, Kimmich had a decent outing as he combined with Goretzka to boss the midfield. Made a lot of passes sideways, in stark contrast to Thomas Muller's more direct approach with through balls as the latter seemed more effective.
Leon Goretzka - 6.5/10
A game of ups and downs for the former Schalke midfielder, who had his bursts of energy amidst a more mediocre gameplay otherwise. Bossed the midfield battle both technically and physically, preventing Freiburg from counter-attacking.
Could have been more decisive with his passing though as more can be expected from a European Champion side than just 88% pass accuracy.
Serge Gnabry - 4/10
Gnabry started off brightly, causing a lot of movement on the right flank with a fair share of runs and overlaps, as well as crosses and corners being swung in. Unfortunately hobbled off with an injury thirty minutes into the game, with fans eagerly awaiting an official word from the club at the time of writing.
Thomas Muller - 8.5/10
The "Raumdauter" was our pick for player of the match. Showed a more direct approach when compared to a stagnant possession-based style from the rest of the midfield. Kept Freiburg's keeper on his toes throughout the game, as well as the opposition midfield and defence for any incisive passing.
As he has done on numerous occasions, Muller provided the spark in what otherwise was a hardly inspiring showing.
Kingsley Coman - 6.5/10
Coman was Bayern's best winger a couple of months back. While he may have slipped under the radar when compared to that purple patch, he certainly hasn't lost any of the flair as he kept creating half-chances. Was active throughout with timely runs and good build-ups, albeit not much could materialize from the same.
Robert Lewandowski - 8/10
The Bavarians' main man upfront continued to add to his tally with another sublime effort against Freiburg, making it his 21st goal in the league. In doing so, 'Lewa' surpassed Gerd Mueller's record of having scored 20 goals after half a season in the Bundesliga.
The 32-year old Polish forward combined with Thomas Muller to open the scoring in the seventh minute itself. Had it not been for some bad luck and miscued shots, Lewandowski was well-poised to add yet another hattrick to his name.
Substitutes:
Leroy Sane - 7.5/10
Having sparkled at the Allianz Arena with some fine cameos that steadily resulted in a starting role, Leroy Sane played a large chunk of the game as he came on for an injured Serge Gnabry near the half-hour mark.
And the summer signing did not disappoint, making himself a constant attacking threat with his blistering pace and good link-up play, which paid dividends as he notched the game-winning assist.
Corentin Tolisso -N/A
Jamal Musiala - N/A
Javi Martinez - N/A
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting - N/A