Bayern Munich is currently experiencing tough times and is grappling with its worst predicament in a significant period.
At Bayern, the vibe is peculiar - good yet bad. It's an odd mix, right? The atmosphere at the record-breakers from Munich is a puzzling paradox in this young Bundesliga season. Welcome, dear readers, to the insights we can gather after the first six matchdays.
Bayern's enjoying self-banter - amidst the 'results struggle': Dietmar Hamann started a fresh debate about Harry Kane last week. This week, Bayern finds itself in another controversy: Does Vincent Kompany's daring game strategy help achieve grand targets? The reason? Bayern only managed to bag two points from their first three toughest games of the season. They drew with Bayer Leverkusen (1:1), lost in the Champions League to Aston Villa (0:1), and yet again drew against Eintracht Frankfurt (3:3), in the Bundesliga once more.
The one addressing all these controversies in Munich is Max Eberl, the heir apparent to the quiet voice from Tegernsee, Uli Hoeneß. Hamann, he labeled a persistent annoyance and countered the growing doubts about Kompany's (presumptuous) risky approach with a seven-minute soliloquy. He couldn't help but gush about his new coach, adoring the "extraordinary" playing style and "remarkable" dominance. Yet, after the late draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, he admitted he felt "nauseous" due to the incorrect result. However, doubts, or worries, he refused to entertain.
Just like Thomas Müller; the club's own radio station broadcasted this message: "This is an excellent playing style when you dominate such a powerful opponent away. It was a delight to witness our control over the game. We haven't won three times, but I'm extremely satisfied in this crisis."
It might still be the best crisis in a long time, but Munich is on the verge of being blinded by its own success. Brilliant football is wonderful, but it's the results that bring home the trophies. And after a season without titles, they'd like to amass plenty of those.
Bayer Leverkusen has tamed the madness: The champions are already sounding the alarm bells early. It's time for passionate speeches, first from Granit Xhaka, then from the irate keeper Lukas Hradecky. What's happening under the Bayer cross? Well, the madness is gone. Sure, Leverkusen can still score late goals, but that's not what's meant. "We were champions because we approached every game like madmen. Today, I didn't see that endless hunger and the will to end the game," Hradecky exploded after the shambolic performance against promoted Holstein Kiel (2:2). Despite a 2:0 lead after eight minutes, the game was far from over. The early Bundesliga defeat against RB Leipzig after a season with no losses could still be digested (2:3), but the chaotic 4:3 against VfL Wolfsburg then drove Xhaka to despair, and now it's simmering in Hradecky and about to erupt.
Defensively, the team is surprisingly vulnerable. A solution is urgently required. But there might already be an explanation for the "madness" of the team. Last season, in pursuit of the perfect season, the team pushed itself beyond its limits, often producing heroic saves in dramatic late comebacks. Physically and mentally, it was at its limit or beyond.
Time for a recharge was scarce. Stars Jonathan Tah, Robert Andrich, and Florian Wirtz had a demanding and exhausting time at the home EM, Xhaka shone at the same tournament with Switzerland. The key players of the Xabi Alonso-led team kept running, constantly pushing forward. And now, there's no break in sight. Most of the Leverkusen players are on international duty, balancing things out is barely possible. Then comes Eintracht Frankfurt. "We have to learn, yes, but: We don't have much time," Alonso conceded. "But we have to keep learning." Preferably quickly.
Dortmund can't shake off old hauntings: The joyous news for all Dortmund fans ahead of time: The top of the table is still within reach. There are four points separating them from FC Bayern. That's the incontrovertible fact. Emotionally, the situation looks completely different. The team as a title contender? Rather, it's FC Schalke 04 that should be promoted. No, no need to worry, the situation is not that grave (yet).
But the team of coach Nuri Şahin is serving up new headaches, making it hard for the fans to maintain their patience. The new coach had instilled enthusiasm, and the big signings of Serhou Guirassy, Waldemar Anton, Pascal Groß, Maxi Beier, and Yan Couto fueled excitement ahead of the season. But after the sixth matchday, the mood has hit rock bottom. There was a 1:2 defeat against Union Berlin and a first half that alarmed everyone in the club. "It can't continue like this," sports director Sebastian Kehl reprimanded.
And so, the M-word is resurfacing in Dortmund again. Against VfL Bochum, they presented several arguments in favor of a resilient mentality, turning a disaster of a first half into a promising conclusion. Against Celtic Glasgow in the following Champions League game, the artists in the black and yellow jerseys put on a surreal spectacle (7:1), only to suffer another setback.
But what continues to be notable: The team is facing difficulties with the remaining defense. This isn't solely about positioning, but also about determination. Particularly against opponents who aren't at the pinnacle of national or international football. Even Sahin's predecessor Terzic faced similar issues. The inconsistency of this team remains the most confounding enigma in the Bundesliga. And a swift resolution does not seem imminent: "We're looking, that's obvious. Because we know what lies ahead if we slip back into this role," said Kehl.
VfB encounters setback: VfB Stuttgart could have been the sensational story in German football last season, had it not been for Leverkusen's unbeaten champions. In the summer, the club paid a high price for its own spectacle. With Anton, Guirassy, and Hiroki Ito, three crucial players departed, but they managed to retain the sought-after Chris Führich and loan player Deniz Undav (at a substantial cost). However, after six matchdays and the strain of Champions League and DFB-Pokal, VfB feels that a significant portion of quality was lost in the summer. Add to that some bizarre defensive injury issues. The situation remains manageable, but the pressure will mount. While six Stuttgart players are in the German national team, a record no other team has achieved. This is a testament to their hard work, but also a challenge to maintain their achievements.
The SC Freiburg amazes, yet remains unnoticed: So far this season, the SC Freiburg has barely made headlines outside the region. Yet, the club has accomplished something remarkable. The discussion about Christian Streich, the Bundesliga legend who left the Freiburgers after an eternal tenure this summer, is scarce. He was impeccable both on and off the pitch, even stirring up a bit of society. Stepping into his shoes must have been one of the most challenging inheritances in the German football elite in a long time.
However, Julian Schuster has been quietly and impressively shaping the post-Streich era. The Sportclub is currently in fourth place in the table (honestly, who knew that without checking?), behind the FC Bayern, behind the defensively brutal Leipzigers (just two goals conceded), and behind the other surprise team, Eintracht Frankfurt. There, Dino Toppmöller has managed to draw the right conclusions from a mediocre season and has put together a formidable team with astute transfers.
Back in Freiburg, Patrick Osterhage recently expressed his admiration for Schuster: "He's a young coach bursting with energy. He wants to share his ideas, to bring us along, I find that great." The dynamic between the Freiburg veteran and the new coach is "more on an equal footing than I've ever experienced," Osterhage said.
Crisis aplenty at VfL Bochum!: Of course, at VfL Bochum! The team has only managed to secure a single point so far, following a lackluster performance against Holstein Kiel. There's no debate about the coach in "Annen", but Peter Zeidler is given the chance to lead Bochum into the daunting autumn, with games against FC Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, and VfB Stuttgart on the horizon.
But first, after the international break, it's against TSG Hoffenheim. Matarazzo is just starting to establish his position there. He recently secured a victory in the Europa League and a draw against VfB Stuttgart. It was assumed week by week that he would be sacked. But a defeat against Bochum would once again put Matarazzo's position in jeopardy, perhaps even risking his termination. Gerardo Seoane is also still precariously situated. The Borussia Mönchengladbach coach acquired two top talents in the summer with Kevin Stöger and Tim Kleindienst. However, the team is still not performing at full capacity.
Bayern's football league performance has been questionable, with only two points from their first three tough games (against Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, and Eintracht Frankfurt). Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen has managed to tame their madness from last season, with players like Granit Xhaka and Lukas Hradecky acknowledging a loss of the "hunger and will to end the game" that previously characterized their play.
