Bayern’s 4-1 win away at Freiburg has whet the appetite for the busy weeks ahead. While the first half at the Europa-Park Stadion was relatively uneventful, the second had so much action. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann pushed his team forward, corrected, praised, celebrated and even brought on two substitutes who’d score. And the victory took on yet more value in the evening. We’ve got six stories from the game in Freiburg that give hope for the season’s run-in in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
1. Lead extended at the top
Bayern knew as the final whistle went in Freiburg that the win was an important step towards that 10th straight Bundesliga title. Three hours later and it was even more valuable after second-place Borussia Dortmund were beaten by the same score at home to RB Leipzig. It means FCB now sit nine points clear at the top with six games to go, including a Klassiker…
2. Two scoring records extended
The four goals in Freiburg takes Bayern’s total for the season up to 85. No team has ever scored so many after 28 matchdays in the Bundesliga. The previous record was 83 by the Munich club in 1973/74. The Reds have now also scored in 75 consecutive league games, further extending their record in the competition. That run has seen FCB score a whopping 226 goals.
3. Super-sub Gnabry
Freiburg coach Christian Streich saw it as “the decisive moment”. For Bayern fans, it was just great. Serge Gnabry was only on the field for 25 seconds before he took down a Lucas Hernandez cross, left Nico Schlotterbeck on his backside and finished to put the visitors 2-1 up. Gnabry’s 11th goal of the season but one of his most important.
4. Coman equals PB
Kingsley Coman made it 3-1 in the 82nd minute with his sixth goal of the season. That saw him equal his personal best in a Bundesliga campaign from 2018/19.
5. Musiala pairs elegance with fight
It is a joy to watch Jamal Musiala play football. The 19-year-old came on just after the hour mark with the score at 1-0 and made sure the champions would crank things up again at the end of the game. The Germany international fought for every ball and frequently pushed his team forward with his ability on the ball. “He was incredibly aggressive after coming on, won possession many times,” Nagelsmann said in praise of Musiala, who the coach added has “very good physical awareness. He’s doing very well at the moment, also again today.”
6. Sabitzer’s maiden goal
Marcel Sabitzer crowned a frenetic game with a special moment as the 28-year-old scored his first Bayern goal in his 25th game for the club. “I’m so delighted for him. He scored twice in training yesterday to basically warn us,” Nagelsmann said at his post-match press conference. “He’s an outstanding player. Unfortunately, he hasn’t reached his peak here yet. This is his dream club. I hope he can get into the groove better after the goal than he did before.”
Read even more about the man of the moment, Leon Goretzka:
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