Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart: Winners and Losers from Bundesliga Game
Bayern Munich advanced to second place in the Bundesliga table on Saturday, drawing level on points with leaders Leverkusen following a 2-0 win over Stuttgart.
It wasn't an easy match for the Bavarians, who struggled to create chances for much of the game. But Mario Gotze put the hosts at ease with a top-class strike on 27 minutes and Franck Ribery made it 2-0 shortly before full-time. The Swabians had no answer and sunk to what in the end appeared a comprehensive defeat.
Both sides, especially Bayern, had their share of winners and losers from the match. Click "Begin Slideshow" for analysis of who came out the better and the worse on Saturday.
Winner: Mario Gotze
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Mario Gotze had his ups and downs over the summer, from losing his starting role in the German national team at the World Cup in Brazil to scoring the winner in extra time in the final. If the goal against Argentina in July was supposed to be a turning point in the 22-year-old's career, it didn't seem to be in the early stages of the current campaign.
Through six games for club and country in all competitions heading into Saturday's match, the only goal Gotze played any part in came against lower-league opposition in the form of Preussen Munster.
Gotze showed a better side of himself against Stuttgart, however, scoring on 27 minutes with a clinical finish. He still has a long way to go, but took a step forward on Saturday. On a day when Bayern really needed someone to step up and deliver in the penalty area, he did.
Loser: Vedad Ibisevic
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Although in mercurial form for his national team, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vedad Ibisevic is yet to score this season and had a poor game in Munich. So underwhelming was the 30-year-old that he was substituted at half-time with 18-year-old Timo Werner moved into the center forward position.
Ibisevic only touched the ball 18 times in the first half (per the official Bundesliga live ticker) and only once had the chance to shoot on goal, an effort that caused little trouble for Manuel Neuer. For a player who recently claimed to have "greater ambitions" (via Express) than playing at Stuttgart, he sure hasn't done much to convince would-be suitors of his quality.
Winner: Franck Ribery
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Not to be outdone by Gotze, Franck Ribery put his best foot forward in a 22-minute substitute's appearance after replacing the Germany international.
The 31-year-old's fitness was a concern heading into Saturday's game, and perhaps there were some concerns in the Bayern camp with the club's run-in with Manchester City on the horizon
Ribery made the most of his limited time on the pitch by scoring Bayern's second goal of the game, putting the result out of reach. He nearly made it 3-0 seconds before the final whistle, but had his chip cleared off the line. An encouraging performance with a tough test against City on the horizon.
Loser: Holger Badstuber
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Holger Badstuber was forced off shortly before half-time after sustaining an injury to his lower-left extremity. The initial diagnosis for the center-back was encouraging: Apparently his was a muscular injury (according to Deutsche Welle) and not directly a further problem for the knee that sustained back-to-back cruciate ligament tears.
Although it's encouraging that Badstuber's injury was not to his knee, the fact that he suffered a muscular strain in his thigh suggests further complications in the leg that twice needed his knee to be repaired.
Thigh muscle injuries are common among players with knee problems; the upper-leg muscles protect the knee joint and their fitness is a vital part of the rehabilitation process. Bayern will have to be extra-careful not to allow Badstuber's situation to worsen; it could soon be that Mehdi Benatia starts in his place.
