Bayern Munich 4-2 Borussia Dortmund: What Were The Main Talking Points As Thomas Tuchel Gets His Reign Underway With A Crucial Victory?

With all eyes falling on the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening, Bayern Munich opened Thomas Tuchel’s tenure with an action-packed 4-2 victory against Bundesliga title rivals Borussia Dortmund.

Although the German champions might have shocked many last week as they sacked Julian Nagelsmann, the ex-Chelsea boss certainly opened his tenure with a statement on home soil.

Storming their way to a rampant 3-0 lead heading into the interval as Thomas Muller’s brace quickly followed Gregor Kobel’s stunning own goal, the Bavarians couldn’t have wished for a better return from the international break.

With Kingsley Coman adding a fourth just six minutes after the half-time break, Dortmund will know that they face a huge amount of scrutiny following another collapse at the Allianz.

Although Emre Can and Donyell Malen might have bagged a pair of consolation strikes outside of rural Germany, BVB missed out on the chance to widen their buffer at the top of the Bundesliga table.

With Bayern leapfrogging their arch-rivals and moving into pole position to make even more Bundesliga history this season, we have taken a look at the main talking points from Saturday’s showdown in Munich.

The Tuchel reign gets off to a dream start

Although Bayern might have stormed their way to the Champions League quarter-finals on March 8th thanks to a stellar 3-0 romp against PSG, that wasn’t enough to save Nagelsmann from the chop.

Although the German giants might have entered the March international break sat just two points adrift of Saturday’s guests, it had been suggested that Bayern’s hierarchy were desperate to bring Tuchel back to Germany.

Although the former Chelsea boss might have been without a new job since leaving Stamford Bridge last year, Tuchel has already shown why he is regarded to be among Europe’s elite tacticians.

Guiding Chelsea to just a second European crown during his tenure in west London, the one-time Dortmund manager couldn’t have dreamed of a better start to life at the Allianz Arena.

While Bayern might have entered the fortnight interval with a 2-1 loss away at Bayer Leverkusen, Saturday’s hosts will now take some stopping in their bid to claim an 11th straight domestic crown this season.

Finding a route back to the top of the Bundesliga table here and still firing in this year’s Champions League, Tuchel will be looking to build a real dynasty in Munich.

Another Munich nightmare for BVB

Marking their return from the international break holding a one point buffer at the top of the Bundesliga table, Dortmund were smelling the chance to lay down a major domestic statement here.

However, although Saturday’s guests might have continued to gain a string of praise from across Germany on either side of the festive interval, BVB will simply be glad to see the back of their bitter rivals.

Knowing that their 4-2 hammering here could prove to be a crucial slip-up in their bid to claim a first domestic crown in over a decade, Terzic’s side have also gained a real reputation for their nightmare run in Munich.

Now tipped as a major underdog in their bid to dethrone Bayern, Borussia Dortmund have now lost each of their last seven straight trips to the Allianz Arena – a run that stems all the way back to July 2017.

Likewise, suffering a routine 3-1 loss when they traveled to Munich for their Bundesliga meeting last season, BVB have remarkably shipped a staggering 28 strikes across all competitions.

Although easier tests await for Terzic’s squad, Saturday’s latest hammering might be a real psychological blow for the title outsiders.

Muller can be the man for Bayern

With Nagelsmann shockingly relieved of his duties last weekend, it was heavily speculated across Germany that the one-time RB Leipzig boss had suffered a major falling out with many of Bayern’s first-team stars.

However, while it might have been suggested that Muller and Nagelsmann did not see eye-to-eye, the 33-year-old certainly showed why he is still a key man for Bayern and their charge to make more Bundesliga history in 2023.

Although the German international might have marked his individual return from the international break in the midst of a seven-match run without a goal, Muller caused Dortmund’s defence a string of issues on Saturday evening.

Recording his first Bundesliga brace of the season here after dealing with a host of injury struggles prior to the World Cup’s winter break, Muller already appears to be enjoying a new lease of life under Tuchel.

With the likes of Sadio Mane continuing to struggle since making a blockbuster switch from Premier League heavyweights Liverpool last summer, Tuchel was quick to praise Muller’s performance and stated how much of a crucial role the 121-cap international has to play over the coming weeks.

Match Report

Bayern Munich: Sommer, Pavard, Upamecano, de Ligt, Davies, Kimmich, Goretzka, Sane, Miller, Coman, Choupo-Moting

Subs: Gnabry, Cancelo, Mane, Musiala, Gravenberch

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Wolf, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson, Brandt, Bellingham, Can, Guerreiro, Reus, Haller

Subs: Ozcan, Dahoud, Moukoko, Malen, Hummels

Goals: Bayern Munich: Kobel OG (13′), Muller (18′, 23′), Coman (50′) – Borussia Dortmund: Can (72′ pen), Malen (90′)

Yellow Cards: Bayern Munich: Upamecano – Borussia Dortmund: Can

Red Cards: N/A

Referee: Marco Fritz