Takeaways from Bayern Munich vs. Wolfsburg German Super Cup
Wolfsburg upset the odds on Saturday night when they came from behind to win the German Super Cup on penalties (5-4, following a 1-1 draw) against last season's German champions, Bayern Munich.
Despite a huge array of stars on show, it was Niklas Bendtner, the late substitution, who came on to not only score the equaliser with minutes remaining but also score the winning penalty for Dieter Hecking's side.
For the third year in a row, Pep Guardiola's Bayern have lost the German Super Cup.
As Wolfsburg fans parade and Bayern faithful lament, here are our takeaways from the game.
Kevin De Bruyne Is Indispensable to Wolfsburg
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Although Bendtner will undoubtedly get all the headlines on Sunday morning, it was in fact Kevin de Bruyne who continued to pull the strings for Wolfsburg in the Super Cup.
The attacking midfielder caused all sorts of problems for Guardiola's side as he constantly switched from one wing to the next among a flutter of panic-stricken Bayern defenders.
At no point did the German champions mark De Bruyne out of the game, and just moments before time, the Belgian international set up the aforementioned striker to turn the game on its head.
Wolfsburg simply can't lose this player if they hope to keep a hold of Bayern this season.
Xabi Alonso Is Vulnerable Against the Best
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Although a number of Bayern players hardly covered themselves in glory against Wolfsburg on Saturday, none were quite as disappointing as Xabi Alonso.
The Spaniard, whom Guardiola favours and always hands a vital role to at the centre of his midfield, was slow in closing down and clumsy in possession against the constant buzz of Wolfsburg's attacking line.
Unfortunately, this will hardly come as a surprise to many eagle-eyed Bayern fans who have for some time noted the 33-year-old's deteriorating form. Does he have enough in him to run another season for Bayern? It certainly doesn't look like it right now.
Douglas Costa Is Bayern's New Biggest Threat
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Although much will be said about the manner in which Bayern underperformed against Wolfsburg in the first real test of the season, Tuchel may well be more worried about the manner in which Douglas Costa has so quickly stepped into this side.
Many predicted the Brazilian winger would struggle to make the step up to the Bundesliga, yet as we've seen in a number of pre-season friendlies and now against Wolfsburg, he isn't a forward to shy away from the big occasions.
Unless Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery can shake off career-spanning injuries and play full seasons in this coming campaign, this man may well be Bayern's new threat on the wings.
Wolfsburg Lack Ingenuity Up Front
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Finally, we come to a point that may hold very little weight after the manner in which this game unfolded. Sure, Wolfsburg's Danish star may have found a last-minute goal and scored the winning penalty, but over the course of the coming season, Saturday's ending won't paint over the fact that this club needs another striker.
Although Bas Dost picked up 20 goals for Hecking's side last season, there's no denying that neither he nor Max Kruse can alone push for titles on all three fronts this season.
Similarly, when we look at the quality across Wolfsburg's side, there's something to be said for the lack of genuine, match-winning quality at the head of attack. This side may be just one quality goalscorer away from matching Bayern over the course of a season.
