“Our aim on this matchday was to get back to the top of the league.” Bayern skipper Philipp Lahm hit the nail on the head after a comfortable 4-0 home win for FC Bayern against newly promoted SC Paderborn on Tuesday night. The clear and deserved victory ensured the reigning champions were able to unseat the surprise league leaders from East Westphalia and take over at the top of the Bundesliga for the first time this term.
“I think we can be satisfied after the first five games. We’ve picked up eleven out of a possible 15 points, three wins and two draws - that’s ok,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in providing a positive assessment of the state of play when he left the Allianz Arena in the early hours of the morning. “Some people expected a bumpy start after the World Cup. We can be very satisfied with the season to date including the Champions League.”
Praise from Paderborn boss Breitenreiter
The 71,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena could also be satisfied with a “great win by a great team” as the SC Paderborn coach André Breitenreiter declared enthusiastically after the match. “It really was a special experience being able to play here. The lads enjoyed playing against opposition of such outstanding quality that produced fireworks up front. You can’t defend against everything,” added Breitenreiter.
After a bright opening by the visitors FCB took control of the game with two quick goals from Mario Götze (8) and Robert Lewandowski (14), netting his first strike in front of his own fans and carving out a 2-0 lead. “We were in the game from the start, very aggressive, did well going forward and created goalscoring chances,” summed up a satisfied Lahm. The half-time lead could have been even bigger given the 13 to 3 shots on goal ratio in favour of FCB.
Another clean sheet
“We’d have settled down quicker if we’d have gone 3-0 up earlier on,” said Sebastian Rode after making his first start in front of his own fans. “We created some good chances and we played good football,” declared Arjen Robben, who was sidelined for the 0-0 draw at Hamburg three days ago. He returned to the side for the Paderborn game, livening up the Bayern attack and providing the assists in the closing stages for the other two goals from Götze (78) and Thomas Müller (85).
“It was really important for us to win and lay down a marker. We were simply the better team,” said Robben happy about the return to top spot in the Bundesliga. “That’s what we’re aiming for, where we want to be and - much more important - we want to stay there.” Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who kept his fourth clean sheet on the bounce, said: “We’re top now and we beat the league leaders. We know the table doesn’t count for much at the moment. But if you have the chance to go top then you want to be up there.”
And it’s non-stop for FCB at the moment, with the as yet unbeaten newcomers FC Köln providing the opposition on Saturday before the second Champions League group match against CSKA Moscow just three days later. “Those two games are all about picking up all three points,” said Thomas Müller aware that it could easily be more difficult than against Paderborn. “It won’t always be as easy just using a back-heel. You have to work really hard. And it won’t be any different over the next few weeks.”
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