- Amidst record-breaker Müller, Kompany's daring Bavarian strategy gets into action.
Supporters applauded record-breaker Thomas Müller, Vincent Kompany acknowledged his entire squad following a victorious domestic debut. Prior to this, the manager had displayed bravery during his introduction to the Allianz Arena. By employing a daring attacking strategy and deploying Joshua Kimmich in an unconventional combined role, the inaugural Bayern coach secured a triumph over SC Freiburg at home. The 2-0 (1-0) success at the Allianz Arena and the seasoned side's flawless six-point tally in the Bundesliga were well-deserved.
Scorer Harry Kane notched a goal from the penalty spot (38th minute). Subsequently, record-holding Thomas Müller sealed the 2-0 result as a substitute (78th). In additional time, Freiburg's Lucas Höler faltered on a penalty attempt. Upon the final whistle, Müller was summoned to the southern stand fence by the onlookers, where the 34-year-old thanked them with a megaphone and his shoes as a memento. "I advised them to exert themselves. They'll need some downtime. We have significant aspirations this year. They seemed pleased by that, and so did I," Müller commented on the broadcasting service DAZN.
The season's opening score by the Englishman, who was awarded the 'Kicker' goal scorer cannon prior to the contest due to his 36 goals last season, was one of the game's pivotal moments. The penalty again brought forth the everlasting debate concerning handballs in the penalty area and the utilization of VAR (Video Assistant Referee).
So what transpired? Kane utilized his head to contest a midair battle with Max Rosenfelder, striking the SC defender on the arm. There was no intent from Rosenfelder. But his arm was extended, yes. Video assistant Harm Osmers intervened following referee Christian Dingert's corner decision.
The 44-year-old referee examined the incident on the sidelines - and signaled for a penalty. Freiburg players and coach Julian Schuster responded in disbelief. Kane, however, remained composed, stepped up, and confidently converted his sixth penalty in the Bundesliga. "That was an absurd penalty. If that's a handball, I'd rather retire from football. It's simply irrational," spewed Freiburg captain Christian Günter.
Bayern encountered persistent resistance from tenacious Freiburg for a considerable time before Thomas Müller found the breakthrough. And how! Müller skillfully controlled the ball with his right foot, maneuvered past his defender in the penalty area, and effectively finished the opportunity with his left.
Kompany aimed to offer the Bayern supporters an entertaining spectacle in his first home fixture as the head coach. Consequently, he structured his team with an emphasis on offense. "It's a home game - and our offensive players need to be present on the field," the 38-year-old Belgian stated before the contest on DAZN.
Kane, Musiala, Gnabry, Olise, Tel - that constituted the offensive might. Meanwhile, at the back? Dayot Upamecano and Min-jae Kim, who consistently earned Kompany's confidence as central defenders, frequently found themselves left unguarded. Kimmich didn't assume his usual right-back position, yet frequently operated centrally ahead of the defense, replicating the actions of Raphael Guerreiro. In Munich, tightly-packed positions like those under Thomas Tuchel are a thing of the past under Kompany.
Müller featured in his 710th game for Bayern during the career of the record-holder.
A substantial ovation resonated from the 75,000 spectators as Thomas Müller was replaced. With 710 appearances, the 34-year-old now stands as FC Bayern's all-time record-holder, surpassing Sepp Maier. The 80-year-old was recognized prior to the encounter, along with former associates like Uli Hoeneß, Paul Breitner, or Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, 50 years after Munich's initial European Cup triumph in 1974. During his 19-minute stint on the pitch, Müller was hailed by the Bayern enthusiasts as a scorer.
"Milestones like these do not hold much appeal for me," Müller said. "What truly matters is that I scored an incredibly beautiful goal today, one that was technically impressive and found the net. That's what brings me pleasure."
The record-breaking German Bundesliga player, Thomas Müller, was substituted and received a warm reception from the Bayern Munich fans, surpassing Sepp Maier's appearance record. In the exciting match against SC Freiburg, Müller scored an impressive goal, further cementing his status in the German Bundesliga.
