Bayern Munich 4-0 FC Koln: 4 Talking Points
Bayern Munich would probably have won even if FC Koln weren't a man down for 30 minutes, but they showed some real dominance in shutting them down after the visitors showed some signs of life.
Two goals from Robert Lewandowski at the start of both halves put Bayern firmly in the driving seat. Although Koln threatened for a short spell to take the game to Bayern, they weren't able to create too many real chances to trouble Manuel Neuer in goal.
Bayern were able to wrest control in midfield with Corentin Tolisso, Joshua Kimmich, and Philippe Coutinho combining. Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez were also keen to step up and support their midfielders, which caused a few problems with the likes of Jhon Cordoba finding spaces in behind, but Bayern managed to keep them at bay.
Once the German champions had the man advantage, they really pushed Koln back, and the score could've been worse for them. The visitors will have complaints about the sending off, but not about the result.
Joshua Kimmich stellar in midfield
Niko Kovac's decision to play Kimmich through the middle hasn't come out of the blue, we have seen that he's capable of good performances there under Pep Guardiola. Nonetheless, Bayern play a different system under Kovac, and his role would change accordingly.
The young right-back had a fantastic season for the German Champions last season. Given that he was sensational at right-back, Kovac's decision to switch him to central midfield could have backfired. But Kimmich looked absolutely at home and showed that especially in games where Bayern are expected to dominate possession, he's an excellent midfield option.
The system is questionable with Kimmich and Tolisso playing against big teams, but that's perhaps a test for the future.