Michael Olise took a deep breath, puffed out his cheeks, wiped a bit of sweat from his face and looked straight up at the Südkurve. Expressing great emotion or making grand statements after a game isn’t his style. The final whistle had only just blown when Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala made their way over to him; they chatted, and a smile flitted across Olise’s face. In that moment, it was obvious what this evening meant to him and to FC Bayern.
Thursday night’s 5–0 thrashing of FK Bodø/Glimt in the opening match of the Champions League campaign was a superb start and the first step on a long journey. “We wanted to win and, in the end, we did. That’s why we’re happy,” said Olise, analysing the situation with the same precision with which he had earlier conjured up two goals.
Above all, however, this night was about a response. Following the goalless draw in the Bundesliga at Schalke, control once again led to results this time round. Possession turned into pace and some wonderful goals.
Similar to Schalke
“We could have scored one or two goals in the first half. We did score at just the right moment in the second half, and that gave us some momentum. The opposition had to step up the pressure a bit and we were able to capitalize on that,” said coach Vincent Kompany.
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The first half had indeed shown once again just how challenging it can be to break down a stubborn, deep defensive block. The Norwegians tried to cut off the Munich men’s access to the centre, much like Schalke had done. Bayern were moving in the right direction, but they were still lacking that perfect run into space and the cutting edge in front of goal. The half-time stats painted a fairly accurate picture: 72 per cent possession, 11 attempts, five of them on target. The match called for patience and, at some point, the moment when the tempo needed to be significantly picked up.
Musiala raises the excitement levels
It was precisely that moment that Bayern created after the break thanks to their greater determination. Musiala (47') brought a collective sigh of relief to the Allianz Arena with his magnificent shot on the turn.
Afterwards, the attacker was “really happy”. His verdict: “I’m delighted to be back in my stride. It was a terrific moment and I’m very happy for myself personally and for the team. I know there’s still work to be done, but enjoying being back on the pitch with the team is the best feeling.”
Musiala was not alone in his delight, as Kompany aptly put it: “I think I was just as delighted as everyone in the stadium – and probably many more watching on television. Now I hope the focus will return to his performance. Everything else is part of his everyday life; he knows how to deal with it, and he has our full support.”
Once they got into their stride, FCB doubled their lead through Harry Kane (61'). Davies then scored with a long-range thunderbolt (78'), before Olise put the icing on the cake with two goals (83'/90'+2). The deadlock was broken because Bayern kept their composure whilst simultaneously becoming more incisive.
That was also the key difference compared with the Schalke game. In that encounter, too, Bayern had had possession, control and dominated on the pitch. Against Bodø/Glimt, they added a touch of ruthlessness. The wingers were involved more effectively. Bayern trusted in their own quality.
The fact that this Champions League opener ended up being such a one-sided affair was down to a team that gradually found its rhythm as the match progressed. 25 attempts, 12 of them on target, 2.49 expected Goals and 37 touches in the opposition’s box were testament to the Munich men’s dominance. What's more remarkable is that Bodø/Glimt didn't manage a single shot on Manuel Neuer’s goal. Bayern therefore controlled not only the ball, but also the risk.
“At half-time, the message was: we have to keep knocking on the door. The early goal after the break then opened up the game. We’ve shown time and again in recent years that we get stronger as the match goes on. You could see that again,” Kane concluded.
Impressive stats for Kane
For the Englishman, it was yet another night that underlined his exceptional role in Bayern colours. In his 39th Champions League appearance for FC Bayern, he scored what was already his 34th goal in the competition. Since his move to Munich in the summer of 2023, no player has scored more often in Europe's premier club competition. Moreover, Kane has now found the net in eight consecutive Champions League games, something only Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy had previously achieved. As such, Kane remains Bayern’s constant in European competition: reliable when a game needs to be opened up, and clinical when it needs to be decided.
The first step has been taken
Olise made an even stronger impression because his style suited this match so well. At first patient, then precise, and in the end almost effortlessly playful. His left foot gave this opening the sparkle that Bayern had worked so hard to achieve after the break.
The fact that the Kaiser's song “Gute Freunde kann niemand trennen” (No one can separate good friends) rang out from the stands in the closing stages was fitting for a night on which the team and the fans clearly kicked off this European campaign together.
The first step on the journey towards lifting the coveted trophy has been taken. And it showed that when Bayern turn control into decisiveness, patience can very quickly turn into glory.
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