Champions League: FC Bayern shines against Dinamo Zagreb

Bayern Munich celebrated a perfect debut in the new Champions League with a goal-filled display against Dinamo Zagreb. Four-time goalscorer in the 9-2 (3-0) win on Tuesday (September 18, 2024): Harry Kane, who had already scored a hat trick in the Bundesliga. The nine goals scored by Munich are also a record for Bayern in the premier class: in 1972, FCB won 9-0 against Omonia Nicosia in the old “European Cup”. Thomas Müller also set a fabulous record.

After two goals were rightly disallowed for offside, Kane opened the scoring with a confidently converted penalty (19th minute). Raphael Guerreiro, who was playing as right-back, increased the lead after an impressive assist from Jamal Musiala (34th minute), and shortly afterwards Michael Olise crowned his up to then very impressive Champions League debut for Munich with his goal to make it 3-0 (38th minute).

They had lost their concentration in the dressing room after the break and allowed Dinamo to get back into the game with a double strike. Captain Bruno Petkovic (49th minute) scored briefly, and Takuya Ogiwara managed to equalise with a successful counterattack against substitute goalkeeper Sven Ulreich (50th minute).

Kane (57th) and Olise (61st) put the German record champions back in the lead with their second goals each, two more converted penalties by Kane (72nd/78th) increased Munich’s goal tally to seven. Leroy Sané (85th) and Leon Goretzka (90th+2) completed the terrible debacle for Zagreb and its coach Sergej Jakirovic.

Neuer: “We left Ulle out in the cold a bit”

“It was bitter that we left ‘Ulle’ out in the cold a bit at the beginning”said Manuel Neuer after the party, “But the way we came back after the weak phase was the FC Bayern that we have seen more often recently.” And on the possible hype that is now developing around Bayern, the keeper said: “We know we have to stay grounded.”

Neuer was substituted at half-time as a precaution after he landed on his back in an aerial challenge during an excursion into the center circle in the early stages. After the game, coach Vincent Kompany immediately gave the all-clear and said: “We didn’t want to take any risks.” Neuer also said that it was “nothing serious, just a minor thing”He expects to be able to play against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday (21.09.2024).

Guerreiro as lawyer

After Sacha Boey suffered a serious injury in training, whose torn meniscus had already been operated on, Kompany offered Alphonso Davies and all-rounder Guerreiro, the latter interpreting his right-back position very offensively from the start. Aleksandar Pavlovic was also able to prove himself again in defensive midfield.

Bayern started with a lot of pressure and were absolutely dominant, and the first goal celebration was not long in coming. Musiala pushed in a nice pass from Kane – albeit from an offside position (9th minute). Serge Gnabry also stirred his imaginary espresso a little later, but his characteristic goal celebration was also stopped after VAR intervention. However, the referee pointed to the penalty spot after the video double review: Pavlovic had been brought down in the visitors’ penalty area, Kane remained highly concentrated on the spot.

Musiala preparation per breast

Gnabry set up the third goal with a chip ball to Musiala, who once again demonstrated his outstanding footballing skills. The international player chested Gnabry’s pass back from the penalty spot to the edge of the box, where Guerreiro shot straight away and scored. Later, Olise was delighted with his first Champions League goal for Bayern, which the Englishman scored with his head after a cross from Joshua Kimmich.

Then came Ulreich’s spoiled debut: The sleepy Bayern defense let Petkovic and then Ogiware score, and Dinamo briefly had hope of turning the game around in Munich. But Bayern quickly regained their concentration: Kimmich placed a shot from the edge of the penalty area, and Kane converted the saved shot from close range. Before Olise celebrated his second goal from Musiala’s assist, another goal by Kane had been disallowed.

Müller with record game

Kane converted two penalties (one for handball, one for foul play) like clockwork – both below left. Then Thomas Müller was substituted on for his 152nd appearance in the Champions League, setting a record: no other player has played so often for a single club in the top division.

A little later, Sané, who had been brought into the game, was able to get on the scoresheet when he curled a ball from Müller into the goal of the pitiful Croatians with his left foot. And Goretzka, who had not even been in the squad in the last Bundesliga match against Holstein Kiel (6:1), justified his substitution with a beautiful header after a cross from Kimmich.

“I think it was fun as a spectator. You could see that we always wanted to score the next goal.”said Kimmich in the Sportschau interview. “Apart from the five minutes in which Zagreb even managed to equalise, it was a spectacular game. The other teams will have watched the game or seen the result – and 9:2 is a real stunner. Something like that in the Champions League.” is a very good performance.

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