A close look at Leroy Sané's face said a lot. The FC Bayern attacker scored the 2-2 equaliser after a lightning-quick counter-attack to secure a point in the clash at RB Leipzig on Saturday evening. The key moment was captured by a photographer – and what is clearly visible in Sané in this picture is that which made FCB strong in the second half and what they can now build on in the mid-week and weekend fixtures against Copenhagen and Freiburg: determination, decisiveness, dynamism, and precision.
Clear improvement in the second half
Leroy Sané scored to make it 2-2 in Leipzig.
In the second half in Leipzig, Bayern managed to get a bit closer to their top form and made up the two-goal deficit through Harry Kane's converted penalty (57’) and Sané's equaliser (70’). Through tactical changes, substitutions and above all a clear improvement in mentality and concentration, Bayern showed their true character.
For captain Joshua Kimmich, there's a prevailing good feeling after the successful comeback, as he revealed afterwards: "What annoys me is how we conceded the goals and let Leipzig into the game through set pieces. It was immensely important that we showed such a reaction in the second half. We showed that we are capable of dominating Leipzig. All in all, it was a fair sharing of the points." First Loïs Openda (20’), then Castello Lukeba (26’) had scored for Leipzig.
Comeback was deserved
Head coach Thomas Tuchel described his team's play as too "static" but also praised them for the increased energy and conviction after the change of ends: "The spirit, the speed of play, the willingness to take risks, the individual behaviour, the bite, were much better. That's why we deserved the comeback." The tackling and defensive play was also better, pushing Leipzig further and further into their own half.
Next opponents are already waiting
In the Champions League match at Copenhagen on Tuesday (21:00 CEST) and the home match against Freiburg (Sunday, 17:30 CEST), it is now important to perform at a constant level. "We are on it," Tuchel assured, alluding to the upcoming training sessions. Whilst FC Bayern started with a 4-3 win against Manchester United in the opening match of Europe's elite club competition, Copenhagen began their campaign with a draw against Galatasaray. "It will be a completely different game for sure. We definitely want to win so that we have a good starting position in the group," said sporting director Christoph Freund, setting a clear agenda for the match in Copenhagen.
Confidence also comes from the knowledge that pressure can be generated from fresh legs coming off the bench at any time. Against Leipzig, for example, it was Raphaël Guerreiro and Mathys Tel who provided valuable new energy to the team. The return of Minjae Kim and Dayot Upamecano had already eased the personnel situation in central defence. "When new players come on, they bring good energy. They push us forward. We have such great quality on the bench that can always help us," Jamal Musiala clarified.
In the end, Bayern not only took home a point, but also an important energy boost for the challenges ahead.
The reaction to the draw at RB Leipzig:
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