Bayern Munich defeat Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker to retake Bundesliga lead
Thomas Tuchel oversaw a convincing Bayern Munich win against Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker, with the Bavarian giants - who had Thomas Müller net a double - claiming top spot in the Bundesliga as a result.
Bayern 4-2 Dortmund
Goals: 1-0 Kobel (o.g. 13'), 2-0 Müller 18' (assist: De Ligt), 3-0 Müller 23', 4-0 Coman 50' (assist: Sane), 4-1 Can (pen. 72'), 4-2 Malen 90' (assist: Guerreiro)
Just seven days prior to this encounter at the Allianz Arena, Tuchel was being unveiled as Bayern's new coach following the departure of Julian Nagelsmann. A match against Der Klassiker rivals, and Bundesliga leaders, Dortmund could not have represented a fiercer first challenge for the new man. Yet incredibly, by the 23rd minute of the contest, the hosts were out of sight. Gregor Kobel rightly received plenty of praise as a key member in Dortmund's previously unbeaten run in the Bundesliga in 2023. However, the goalkeeper's howler that led to Bayern's opener rocked the visitors to their core. With Leroy Sane in the vicinity, the Swiss custodian swiped at an apparently harmless Dayot Upamecano long pass before looking over his shoulder in despair as the ball rolled in. It was to get even worse for Edin Terzic's men soon afterwards when Matthijs de Ligt's downward header from a Joshua Kimmich corner was knocked in from close range by Müller. There was no let-up as Bayern swarmed, and when BVB gave up possession while trying to play out from the back, Sane smacked a stinging shot from distance that Kobel could only parry out to Müller, whose angled finish was calmness personified.
Dortmund recovered from a two-goal deficit to claim a valuable point when they faced Bayern in the corresponding fixture earlier this season. The Black-and-Yellows had never before managed to manoeuvre into a wining position from a 3-0 deficit, however. The visitors introduced Donyell Malen and Salih Özcan at the break in an attempt to try and bite back at Bayern, but it would be Tuchel's troops who took another chunk out of BVB when Coman deflected in Sane's arcing pass along the floor. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting then looked to get in on the act. The forward produced an acrobatic finish that flew past Kobel, but the assistant ruled the effort out for offside. At the other end, Die Schwarzgelben pushed for a consolation and when Serge Gnabry tripped Jude Bellingham inside the home area, they were awarded the perfect chance to get one from the penalty spot. Emre Can slotted in his spot-kick and although Malen added a second late on, there was no denying Tuchel and Bayern, who took the Bundesliga lead ahead of next weekend's Super Saturday round of fixtures, when the defending champions go to fourth-in-the-table Freiburg and Dortmund host third-placed Union Berlin.
Match stats
- Müller scored his third Der Klassiker brace. Only Robert Lewandowski (8) and Gerd Müller (4) managed more doubles in this fixture.
- It was Müller's 25th brace overall in the Bundesliga.
- Coman has registered a personal best six Bundesliga goals this season.
- Bayern's 12 shots on goal in the first half were spread across eight players.
- De Ligt provided his first Bundesliga assist.
- Bayern have scored at least a goal in their last 53 Bundesliga home games. The last time the record champions were goalless at the Allianz Arena in the top flight was on 9 February 2020 against RB Leipzig.
- Bayern have not lost at home to Dortmund in the Bundesliga since April 2014 - winning their last nine.
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Watch: Thomas Tuchel reaction
Teams
Bayern: Sommer - Pavard, Upamecano, de Ligt - Coman (Musiala 79'), Kimmich, Goretzka (Gravenberch 86'), Davies (Cancelo 79') - Sane, Müller (c) (Gnabry 69') - Choupo-Moting (Mane 69')
Unused subs: Ulreich, Blind, Mazraoui, Stanisic
Out: Hernandez (knee), Neuer (broken leg), Tel (muscular)
Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Dortmund: Kobel - Wolf, Süle, Schlotterbeck (Hummels 44'), Ryerson (Özcan 46') - Bellingham, Can, Guerreiro - Brandt (Malen 46'), Haller (Dahoud 61'), Reus (c) (Moukoko 61')
Unused subs: Meyer, Adeyemi, Modeste, Bynoe-Gittens
Out: Duranville (thigh), Meunier (back), Morey (match fitness), Reyna (ill)
Coach: Edin Terzic
Watch: Jude Bellingham - "Dortmund will be back!"
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