SV Darmstadt 98 vs. Bayern Munich: Winners and Losers from Bundesliga Game

Bayern Munich continued their perfect start to the new Bundesliga season with a 3-0 win away to Darmstadt on Saturday afternoon. 

In the old but charming Bollenfalltor Stadium, Darmstadt, Germany, Pep Guardiola put forth a side full of changes and omissions from Wednesday night's victory over Olympiakos, yet even Bayern's B team proved too much for the newly promoted side. 

Alas, despite a spirited, attacking performance from the hosts, goals from Arturo Vidal, Kingsley Coman and Sebastian Rode confirmed all three points for the German champions. 

Here are the winners and losers from Saturday's clash.

Winner: Joshua Kimmich

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Although many Bayern fans may not believe it, Saturday's clash against Darmstadt was the first Bundesliga start in Bavarian red for young Joshua Kimmich. 

The 20-year-old was drafted in alongside Sebastian Rode in place of Thiago Alcantara, and despite his young age, he looked every part a first-team regular for Guardiola's side. 

Although others may have bagged the goals and ultimately the headlines in the Sunday papers, a number of Bayern fans would have been proud of the progress this young talent is making. 

Winner: Darmstadt's Attacking Intent

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Although Darmstadt may not be able to take any points from Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Bayern, the newly promoted side should undoubtedly take confidence from the manner in which they threw caution to the wind against the reigning champions.

According to Squawka, the hosts tested Manuel Neuer's resolve on two separate occasions and came close on a further three. That may not seem like much, but there were a number of close scares for the travelling Bayern fans.

They may have lost by a clear margin on the day, but Darmstadt fans will undoubtedly be proud of the manner in which they took the game to Bayern.

Loser: Mario Gotze the Striker

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Bayern may have looked rather sluggish for about two-thirds of Saturday's game, but once Coman grabbed his side's second of the day, it was clear sailing for the German champions. 

Yet, as the wind filled Bayern's sails and pushed them toward a comfortable win, there was one player who still looked as though he was playing in lead boots: Mario Gotze. 

Asked to play up front as the lone striker following a late injury to Robert Lewandowski, the German international again looked completely at odds with the task Guardiola had set for him.

Perhaps even more troublesome is the fact that the attacking midfielder has looked brighter in his preferred position for both club and country over the past month. But when Bayern ask him to play as a striker, it never really pays off.

Winner: Sebastian Rode

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If Gotze is to continue to struggle within Guardiola's side, Bayern fans can take some solace from the fact that Rode has quickly turned into the attacking midfielder whom the former Borussia Dortmund player may have once thought he would be. 

Despite playing as something of a full-back or defensive midfielder when he arrived at Bayern, Rode has quickly turned into a box-to-box midfielder and thrived in every test thrown at him. 

The 24-year-old was perhaps Bayern's best player on Saturday after setting up the second goal and scoring the third himself. It was a man-of-the-match performance from arguably one of the most-improved players under Guardiola's stewardship.