At the very end, they didn't want to let him go. They chanted his name again and again, Thomas Müller waved again and again to his Bayern fans in the visitors' block. But, as in the home game against Gladbach the previous week, they weren't the only ones to lift their Bayern legend almost into the blue sky above Hoffenheim – even the home fans of TSG Hoffenheim celebrated him. In addition to their relief at having secured survival despite a sobering 4-0 (1-0) defeat to the German champions, there was also a sense of pride at having played host to Müller's very last Bundesliga appearance for FC Bayern.
6,119 days after his Bundesliga debut on 15 August 2008 against Hamburger SV, the 35-year-old played his 503rd Bundesliga match, overtaking Stefan Reuter in the history books to take twelfth place. Müller would have liked to have scored another goal – but that was not to be on the last Bundesliga matchday of the season, when FC Bayern had long since been crowned champions. Instead, the goals were scored by Michael Olise, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane for a highly superior Bayern side who comfortably secured the away win.
Inch-perfect free kick to take the lead
Just like last season, Harry Kane – who has scored a whopping 26 goals in 34 league games this season – received the award for the most prolific scorer in the Bundesliga from kicker magazine after the final whistle. But that was not the end of the trophies: The German Football League (DFL) also named Michael Olise – who once again set up and scored goals against Hoffenheim – as the best newcomer. It was clear to see why after 33 minutes: the 23-year-old curled a free kick over the Hoffenheim wall into the corner of the goal with his fine left foot with such inch-perfect precision that Oliver Baumann had no chance of saving it. Although the Germany international got his fingertips to the ball, he was unable to prevent it from giving Olise his fourth goal of the season, making it 1-0 in favour of the visitors. It was a well-deserved goal, given that FC Bayern had increased their superiority to over 75 percent possession and 65 percent of tackles won by that point in the match.
Hoffenheim, who were in the Bundesliga for the first time in Müller's debut year, still put up a spirited fight in defence as they looked to make sure they didn’t drop into the relegation play-off place, occupied by Heidenheim. “We have to slow down Munich's qualities right from the start with enormous willingness to run, as well as with the quality of our tackling,” TSG coach Christian Ilzer had demanded. But now Olise had already chipped away at Hoffenheim’s defensive hopes with a free kick for his twelfth goal of the season. And after the break, Bayern’s attack was ready for more.
First in line was Kimmich (53’). The FC Bayern leader and mastermind had crept forward to score his third goal of the season, which was wonderfully assisted by Olise and was also a little lucky with Hoffenheim striker Leo Östigaard deflecting the ball into the near post with Kimmich’s powerful shot from an acute angle – unstoppable for Baumann. The game petered out after that because, on the one hand, Heidenheim were losing against Bremen and Hoffenheim were thus saved despite the threat of a home defeat. Secondly also, because FC Bayern slowed down considerably.
Müller’s emotional substitution
It was on the final matchday of the season that Vincent Kompany, the champions' coach, gave Thomas Müller one last big Bundesliga stage: after 60 minutes, the coach called for his number 25 to be substituted and, just like the week before, it was the most emotional moment of the match. 30,150 spectators in the sold-out stadium rose from their seats and gave Müller a standing ovation – a warm-hearted gesture full of respect and recognition for the FCB legend's life's work as a footballer. Müller had to step out of the dugout twice more to wave and clap his thanks, and the chants and cheers with his name, which were incessantly sung from the visitors’ block, seemed never-ending. “What happened in front of the fans after the game shows that the mutual appreciation is enormous,” said a delighted Müller. “I'm more of a fan of positive emotions. Today was a successful finish. The appreciation towards me is huge, and there’s no better feeling than that.”
The energy from the stands spread to the players on the pitch: with almost 85 per cent possession, FC Bayern hardly gave Hoffenheim a chance to breathe, increasingly pressing on the visitors' goal again – and also scored to make it 3-0. Gnabry set up Leroy Sané, who passed the ball to Kane with great vision. But the Torjägerkanone-winner was stopped by the woodwork on the near post. But when the number nine found the ball back at his feet after it ricocheted off the post, he kept a level head and found Gnabry, who struck a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area just inside the right-hand post (80').
And it still wasn't over in Hoffenheim, with the visitors pressing once more. Again, Sacha Boey nudged the ball to the feet of Kane, whose powerful shot from very close range sailed into the top corner to make the final score 4-0 (86'). With this pass, Boey had assisted both the first and last goals of the season. “They were amazing moments – especially with the championship this season,” admitted Kane after the final whistle. “A big thank you to everyone around me. It's nice to secure the trophy with a goal of your own. The whole team, the whole staff – it wouldn't have been possible without them. And it was nice to finish with another goal.”
The Bavarians scored 99 goals in this Bundesliga season – only Bayern themselves have scored that many three times in the Bundesliga: 101 in the 1971/72 season, 100 in 2019/20 and 99 in 2020/21. But what did all the superlatives and historic figures matter at this point?
Celebration on Marienplatz on Sunday
Even after the final whistle, the fans sang with commitment and passion about what will be tangible on the town hall balcony on Marienplatz on Sunday and what will still not be quite imaginable at FC Bayern: the 34th championship and the farewell to club legend Thomas Müller. “Tomorrow at Marienplatz will certainly be fun,” said Kane. “For me, it's the first time to celebrate a title with the fans in our city. I'm really looking forward to it.:
This is what the players and staff had to say about the game:
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