Bundesliga

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1. Favre purposely sets up weak

The formation of Borussia Dortmund in the game against Bayern Munich surprised even experts: Paco Alcacer, Mahmoud Dahoud, Christian Pulisic sat on the bench, to name only the most prominent in recent weeks. Instead, BVB coach Lucien Favre trusted Mario Götze and Julian Weigl in the starting eleven, who together had come to only five appearances in the current season ahead of the game.

DPA

Lucien Favre

But why is Favre throwing his team over and over again? Why does not he let his nominal best Elf play in the top match against the German champions? Perhaps Favre will deliberately choose the weaker lineup. So he can accurately analyze the opponent, make weak points - and lure him out of his basic idea.

Again and again, Favre captivates with superior in-game coaching, through shifts that decide games. So too against Bayern. After halftime, he brought Dahoud for Weigl, after an hour Alcácer for Götze. It was the bills that decided the game. Favres reasoning, Dahoud and Alcácer at the start of the game to let out: The burden in recent weeks. Protection in one of the most important games of the year?

There can be doubt. Maybe Favre wanted to play the opponent first or play tired - and then bring the two main characters. A coach deliberately puts on weak - that would probably be the biggest plot twist of the football year. However, the assumption does not seem quite unfounded.

2. FC Bayern can not do without Gnabry

Arjen Robben fails, Franck Ribery fails. If in these reports Bayern Munich used to collapse a world, Serge Gnabry is simply summoned on the wing today. Gnabry may not be up to Robbery's potential but is well on the way. He runs, fits, tears gaps - and ideally closes them too. Against Dortmund, for example, he came to 42 ball actions and played 27 passes, of which 90 percent arrived. For this he gave a shot on goal, prepared the 1-0 of Lewandowski and was with much overview and technical finesse also significantly involved in the 2-1 of the FCB.

AFP

Serge Gnabry

Gnabrys advantage is that he can play his strengths both right and left. The 23-year-old convinced as a new signing at Bayern for weeks, when he is called up (six times Bundesliga starter, four-time substitute). In the match against Freiburg he met for the interim 1: 0, to come so far two assists.

In his first two Bundesliga seasons Gnabry met in Bremen and Hoffenheim ever double digits - but there he played in a much more central positions in attack: There he was the target player. This role is occupied by the Bavarians (still) of Lewandowski. But it is clear: Bayern know who they have in their ranks. At the moment Gnabry convinces on the wing.

3. Winning is no longer everything for Bayern

Few football teams around the world live the feeling of winning as much as Bayern. "Mia san Mia" is the name of the Bavarian football mythology. We are who we are. Or, to interpret it freely: We are the Bavarians, we are the biggest, we always have to win. Bayern have been acting on this maxim for years. Until this Saturday evening in Dortmund.

DPA

Bayern player in front of the fans

Over 97 minutes, the two figureheads of German football fought for every inch. In the end, the Dortmund were the lucky winners, but celebrated both teams. After the final whistle the Bayern players moved in the direction of their own Fankurve. Suspected with a queasy feeling in the stomach, they had just lost the prestige duel against the worst competitor - and had not played convincing football for weeks before.

The fans were well disposed. They recognized the football their team played. 90 minutes on equal terms with Borussia Dortmund enough to vote the Bavarian football soul positive. The Bavarians are willing to accept defeats such as those in Dortmund not as lese majeste, but to learn from them.