Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Monchengladbach: Score, Reaction from 2016 Bundesliga
Borussia Monchengladbach spoiled Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title celebrations on Saturday, scoring a late equaliser at the Allianz Arena to earn a 1-1 draw.
Bayern could have won a record 25th Bundesliga title with a win, but the 1-1 draw, combined with Borussia Dortmund's 5-1 win over Wolfsburg, mean the celebrations will have to wait at least another week.
Thomas Muller gave the hosts an early lead, but the Bavarians lost their intensity and allowed Monchengladbach to climb back into the match via Andre Hahn. Bayern pushed for a late winner, but the visitors held on to earn a point.
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As shared by Bayern’s official website, Muller, Manuel Neuer and Sebastian Rode were all in for a special afternoon, while the likes of Arturo Vidal, Philipp Lahm and David Alaba were rested:
The hosts took control of proceedings early, looking to attack their opponents with set pieces and early balls into the box. Muller nearly picked out Mario Gotze after creating space with some nifty footwork, but Havard Nordtveit managed to put the ball out for a corner.
The resulting set piece gave the Bavarians an early lead, as the ball fell to Muller, and goalkeeper Yann Sommer reacted far too late to his header and was unable to keep it out. Here’s a look at the goal, via FOX Soccer:
Monchengladbach reacted well to the early setback, and Jerome Boateng only just managed to dispossess Raffael before the forward managed a shot on goal. A handful of crosses came to nothing, as Neuer easily ruled his area.
Muller and Nico Elvedi both needed some medical attention after clashing heads on 14 minutes, and when play resumed, striker Hahn gave Neuer his first real challenge of the match, forcing the Germany international into a fine save with a well-struck volley.
The hosts didn’t look particularly sharp or impressive in the attacking third, and Monchengladbach enjoyed plenty of possession. Per CNN’s Marl Lovell, the fans were not impressed:
Nordtveit made a fantastic sliding tackle to stop yet another Coman run, and Muller fired a shot from 20 yards out straight into the hands of Sommer.
The Bavarians increased the pace of their passing during the final minutes of the half, but it didn’t lead to any major chances, as a barrage of crosses never threatened Sommer. At half-time, the score was still 1-0.
Monchengladbach came out of the dressing room without any real energy. With neither team pushing to create chances, most of the danger came from individual efforts, with Coman and Muller looking brightest for the hosts.
Granit Xhaka went on a surging run through the Bayern defence before firing a shot just wide of Neuer's goal, and the Switzerland international grew more and more into the match, forcing Bayern manager Pep Guardiola to make a tactical adjustment by introducing Thiago Alcantara in an effort to contain him.
The visitors started winning more and more battles in midfield as the second half wore on, and with only Coman really threatening their defence, Monchengladbach started taking more risks venturing forward. Substitute Lars Stindl made a strong impression, finding plenty of space out wide.
Hahn came within inches of poking home a cross, but he finally got his goal minutes later. Stindl worked the ball over to the forward, who glided past Medhi Benatia before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. As shared by DW Sports, it meant Bayern needed at least one more goal to win the title on Saturday:
Bayern threw all of their men forward in a desperate search for a late winner, and Juan Bernat attempted an ambitious volley, missing the target. Thiago was even more adventurous, attempting an overhead kick that cleared the crossbar by some distance.
Guardiola brought on star winger Douglas Costa, who immediately added some pace and depth to the attack. The Brazilian couldn't trouble Sommer with his first shot on target, however, as the weak effort bounced into the goalkeeper's arms.
Bayern's constant pressure left themselves vulnerable to the counter, and Xhaka was nearly able to take advantage of a dreadful clearance from Neuer. Fortunately for the Bavarian stopper, Thiago was paying attention and returned to defend just in time.
The hosts were camped inside Monchengladbach's half during the final minutes of the match, but to no avail.
Bayern will have another chance to win their 25th Bundesliga title next week at Ingolstadt, but if the Bavarians are successful against their neighbours, they won't get to celebrate with their own fans. They'll meet Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in midweek.
Post-Match Reaction
As shared by Bayern's official Twitter account, Guardiola said his starting XI, which featured plenty of backups, played to win on Saturday, and admitted his side will have to improve ahead of the clash with Atletico:
The lack of intensity the Bavarians showed on Saturday shouldn't come as a surprise, as plenty of the players likely already had their minds on Atletico. Bayern face a difficult challenge against the Spaniards, having to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, and with the Bundesliga race all but wrapped up, making it to the Champions League final is now the team's top priority.
Bayern should be well-rested ahead of the return leg, and as Atletico can't afford to sit too many players in their quest to win La Liga, it should hand the Germans a significant advantage. If Bayern do qualify for the Champions League final, this draw against Monchengladbach will have been worth it.
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