Leon Goretzka once again proved how important he is to FC Bayern's game on Saturday. In the record champions' 5-1 home win over 1. FC Köln, the midfielder shone with an outstanding performance and also set a new personal best. "He did an excellent job assisting the goals. That's why he was man of the match for me today," said coach Hansi Flick, praising the 26-year-old.
Goretzka impresses with three assists
Goretzka's second assist of the day fed in top goalscorer Robert Lewandowski.
After setting up the goals for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Robert Lewandowski in the first half, Goretzka went one better just before the end. In the 86th minute he played in substitute Serge Gnabry with a lovely chip. Gnabry only had to head home to make it 5-1. Goretzka had never before provided three assists in a Bundesliga match.
First full 90 minutes back
It was the perfect end to an eventful week for FC Bayern’s number 18. After going into isolation for a positive coronavirus test, Goretzka made his comeback against Eintracht Frankfurt last Saturday. A return to the starting line-up followed in the Champions League at Lazio on Tuesday, and against Köln Goretzka played the full 90 minutes for the first time since returning to the fold.
"He showed in the second half in Frankfurt, against Lazio and today what makes him stand out," Flick said. "He is very aggressive against the ball and he knows how to transition when he wins possession," said the coach, identifying the qualities which make Goretzka so important for Bayern's game. The fact he shone against Köln with three assists pleased Flick even more.
In addition to the superb Goretzka, Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry were also impressive and added powerful momentum from the bench:
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