Match Awards from Bayern Munich’s 4-0 thrashing of Union Berlin

Bayern Munich continue their conquest of the Bundesliga. Coming off their 10-2 aggregate scoreline against Atalanta in the Champions League, Bayern were a side thriving at home against Union Berlin. The opposition were mercilessly beaten 4-0, as Bayern finally pick up a long overdue clean sheet. Here are the standout performers from tonight’s game.

Jersey Swap: Frederik Rønnow

Rule #1 of the Bundesliga rulebook for players states that every goalkeeper, when facing Bayern, is obligated to turn into prime Manuel Neuer.

Union are perhaps my second favorite team in the league and with good reason — they perfected the art of being an utter nuisance to the opposition. They play a low-block, extremely compact, and will not let you complete your passes. Their counter-attacking playing style worked because they were ruthless to pounce upon loose balls, extremely fast and fluid and had the right man at the right place to finish.

However, this Union performance was totally unlike anything I have ever seen from them. They were compact, but they were also slow. Their pace (or lack thereof) let them down as several chances were taken away by Bayern’s timely defensive interventions. Crucial figures like captain Christopher Trimmel and Rani Khedira showed clear signs of aging. It was in this setting that Frederik Rønnow’s performance mattered the most.

Six extremely crucial saves easily altered the course of tonight’s game, all made by the Dane. Bayern’s players may have lacked clinical edge tonight — several attempts going wide, far and hitting the crossbar, but the ones on target? Rønnow saved all variants — distant shots, ones in point-blank range, mid-range, you name it. His team was sinking, yet he held their dignity together and saved them from what could have been a much worse score line. In a game when Bayern had no one to stop them, Rønnow single-handedly challenged them, making them work harder for their goals. And that is why he deserves the Swap.

Der Kaiser: Josip Stanišić

Earlier this season, in the Hinrunde Wrapped that our writer LoneStar hosted, I said that Serge Gnabry was the biggest surprise of the season. I believe now that laurel goes to Josip Stanišić.

The Croatian fullback has somehow completely turned his game around and the credit must go to Vincent Kompany. From the guy who was just “not bad” at both his defensive and offensive duties to a defender reborn, greedy for the ball, fighting for goals and assists, this is the version of Stanišić I always hoped would show up.

The first half featured what could have been one of the game’s biggest moments — a phenomenal cross to Lennart Karl. However, this proved to be a bust as Karl missed the shot. Within just the last three months, the Croatian has secured two goals and two assists in the league.

Stanišić had some of the highest number of touches in the opposition’s half and a majority of his touches were either the middle or the final third. A staggering 91 percent pass accuracy coupled with the fact that this was one of his most impactful games this season makes him the most deserving candidate for Der Kaiser.

Der Fussballgott: Harry Kane

This is either very disrespectful to Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, or insanely respectful to Harry Kane. To be completely fair, Kimmich had an excellent game, but Kane’s impact as the ‘quarterback’ really needs to be spoken about.

A striker whose heatmap looks more like Andrea Pirlo than a classic number 9, Harry Kane redefined what it meant to be a striker. The term quarterback is often used, but really there is no term good enough for Kane who has somehow partially filled the shoes of a certain Thomas Müller.

53 goals, 5 assists with 58 G/A in all three competitions this season — these are clearly the numbers of a striker, so what is he getting Der Fussballgott for?

Most strikers wait to be supplied. Harry Kane IS the supply.

Any striker at his level could easily complain about the nature of tonight’s game — claim the low block kept him from getting the ball, the crowded box kept him from scoring and that his teammates would not pass him the ball. But not the English talisman — he dropped into the deep-lying playmaker’s spot. He played several crucial long balls to the overload created by the full-backs, the wingers and everyone’s progressed far enough. He was the initiator of the counter-press as and when needed and most importantly, he drew the defenders onto him so that whoever progressed into the final third could do so uninterrupted.

The only player in the world who can both be the best defensive midfielder in the game AND bag a brace like it’s that easy.

Der Bomber: Michael Olise

What’s a Muller_Era article these days without a story or too many references?

Back in the 1800s, Paris was a city that resembled a maze, as supposed to the boulevards we now see. This irked the then-Emperor Napolean III for several reasons. As we know, France was a boiling pot, a country in constant rebellion. The width of these lanes made it easier for rebels to block it and restrict the military’s entry. Additionally, disease ran rampant in Europe back then and Napolean intended to change this too. Last but not least, Napolean cared deeply about image and wanted to be remembered as the man who made Paris a modern architectural wonder.

The solution to all his problems lay in the hands of an architect, Baron Haussmann, who executed the Emperor’s will. Haussmann constructed wide boulevards, implemented a standard template to Parisian buildings and created the modern sewer systems — all of which dramatically changed the landscape of the city.

Perhaps the French make the best architects — for the architect of Bayern’s attack is none other than Michael Olise.

This game could have easily turned into an affair where Bayern were congested, unable to move from Union’s low block. A team that thrived on suffocating their opponents in narrow lanes was met with the Haussmann of Bayern, who wielded a sledgehammer that utterly destroyed Union’s attempts at choking Bayern. Olise flowed, creating space for Bayern magic. He worked in the tiniest of spaces and created magic.

Referencing SofaScore for his passing map, because this is perhaps the best form of evidence.

To further cement his impact, let me bring his goal into picture. Nearing half-time, Goretzka played a long ball from behind, that reached Olise. Olise took a stunning first touch on the ball, and then cuts in to make a lethal finish. Olise breaking the deadlock with this goal was the most important factor behind Bayern’s extraordinary display that followed.

(Historical note: Haussmann is also widely criticized for displacing several people from their homes and for destroying old Parisian architecture. Olise has no such flaws to his credit.)

Meister of the Match: Chef Serge Gnabry

Serge Gnabry had his best performance of the season tonight and we absolutely need to talk about it.

Dear Serge, if you are reading this, I am truly sorry. I said I preferred Lennart Karl on the left wing over you but my god, you made me eat my words and for that I am both deeply sorry and extremely happy.

I worried about Gnabry’s pace and passing accuracy. I was happily proven wrong on both accounts — as he finished his stint with a 96% accuracy. He was absolutely on fire — his flank passed a whopping 42% of the attack through it. Gnabry’s finishing needs no introduction and it should come as no surprise that both his shots on target were converted into goals. But, additionally, his goals tonight were special and definitely need to be a part of the discussion.

Gnabry’s first goal made me chuckle. Stanišić gets a fantastic ball to Olise, who then shoots it. It barely misses the entire Union defense and goalkeeper Rønnow barely gets a touch on it an. This ball then lands at Gnabry’s feet. Poor Rønnow’s life flashed in front of his eyes perhaps, as Gnabry pounced upon that poorly saved ball and smashed a volley into the net.

The second goal came from some fantastic teamwork. Olise does this gorgeous spin first to get off the two defenders on him, and then does a little one-one with Konrad Laimer (that partnership is sorely missed) and gets it to Gnabry who does a stunning close-range finish.

No Lucho? No problem. Bayern Munich’s chef is home.

What do you think about the awards? Who else do you think deserved a shout? Let us know in the comments!

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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