Remember when Harry Kane by no means scoring in August was a curio that felt prefer it wanted an exorcism? No person in Germany remembers, and an period when Bayern Munich’s centre-forward appeared even vaguely stoppable looks like a really very long time in the past. The optics of his imperious second-half hat-trick on this opening sport have been very welcome, notably within the mild of the Bundesliga’s groundbreaking new TV deal which meant viewers within the England captain’s dwelling nation may see Kane do his factor on the BBC or on a alternative of two totally different YouTube platforms.
But the exceptional factor about Bayern’s first-night salvo is that they nonetheless would have destroyed RB Leipzig, one in every of their tougher home hurdles of current years, had Kane not confirmed as much as the social gathering. It was the dictionary definition of ruthlessness however Ole Werner, the brand new Leipzig coach, may have carried out nothing in his half-time group speak to alter the course of occasions. By the interval, Michael Olise’s double and an excellent Luis Díaz debut strike in between already had Bayern dwelling and hosed. Kane’s contribution was merely further cream and cherry should you have been Bayern, or salt should you have been Leipzig.
Technically the guests may need had trigger for grievance, with Antonio Nusa’s thunderous second-half strike disallowed; rightly, as a result of Castello Lukeba had taken a number of touches quite than passing from a free-kick award straight earlier than however wrongly, as a result of the officers have been solely alerted by Joshua Kimmich’s “unusually sturdy protests” (per a DFB assertion), making it an occasion of VAR working exterior its agreed remits.
With that mentioned, Leipzig would look ridiculous in the event that they have been to protest. And who would need a replay of this nightmare? Werner is marshalling a big rebuild and in that sense the timing of this journey to Munich was merciless, like taking an examination having had 10 minutes to revise. It might be unfair to evaluate the brand new coach or his group on this however rivalling Bayern is not going to be their job this season. Their job, and Werner’s, is to neglect this and transfer on. Bayern have been merely magnificent, even with out Jamal Musiala to name on. Olise was scintillating, untouchable, and Vincent Kompany made a degree of praising Serge Gnabry, continuously linked with a transfer away however renewed right here as Musiala’s locum. “Once we went into the locker room at half-time,” added Kimmich, “I already informed him that he was taking part in exceptionally effectively.”
The remainder of the opening weekend gave no indication that anybody – no less than for now – may do what Werner’s facet did not do and no less than make Bayern uncomfortable. Bayer Leverkusen have been, maybe, the weekend’s greatest losers for Erik ten Hag’s first Bundesliga sport on the helm after a shock 2-1 defeat at dwelling by unfancied Hoffenheim. “A sport during which not every thing was unhealthy, however undoubtedly not a lot was good both,” within the phrases of their newly arrived goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Leverkusen took an early lead via Jarell Quansah however they by no means appeared comfy, and the guests equalised when Quansah deflected Fisnik Asllani’s shot previous Flekken and into his personal internet. Tim Lemperle hit the second-half winner, having hit a publish inside two minutes, and Ten Hag’s group hardly ever appeared like creating something exterior of set items – Quansah’s opener had been headed in from an Álex Grimaldo free-kick.
If the beginning lineup didn’t look too unfamiliar, with Flekken and Quansah two of solely three new signings beginning, the drop-off in high quality is obvious, with solely Patrik Schick, Edmond Tapsoba and Piero Hincapié (with the latter coveted by Arsenal) common starters within the again half of final season. Die Werkself’s well-known punch from the bench isn’t any extra both, with new boy Ernest Poku the one non-teenager of the outfield substitutes. Ten Hag wants a productive final week of the switch window.
The window has been irritating for Borussia Dortmund too, however not as irritating as their Saturday opener at St Pauli. BVB, following on from their sensational run-in to grab a Champions League place final season, have been striding in the direction of a win as they led 3-1 with 5 minutes of regular time to go, regardless of Serhou Guirassy lacking a penalty after his headed opener. Then defensive debutant Filippo Mané was proven a crimson card for holding again Abdoulie Ceesay as he ready to shoot and Danel Sinani scored the ensuing penalty earlier than Eric Smith scored his now-customary piledriver in opposition to Dortmund to tie it up. “This shouldn’t occur to a high group,” chided Niko Kovac, and he wasn’t the one sad one.
On Jobe Bellingham’s Bundesliga debut he was substituted at half-time, along with his mother and father, Mark and Denise, coming via to speak to Sebastian Kehl after full time. Bild reported that Bellingham’s father gave the sporting director his views on the swap and Dortmund’s efficiency. It was clear Kehl had been blindsided. “We’re all disillusioned with the end result,” he mentioned, “however the [changing rooms and area around them] is and stays reserved for gamers, coaches and administration, not households and advisers. That received’t occur once more. We’ve clearly knowledgeable everybody concerned of this.” Jobe’s arrival is a check for Dortmund. Can they nonetheless develop elite expertise having wandered from that as their modus operandi? The strain across the membership – with goalscorer Julian Brandt speaking about taking unhealthy habits of current occasions “with us into the brand new season” – means a robust lead from Kovac and Kehl is necessary to get this season on the suitable highway.
Fast Information
Bundesliga outcomes
Present
Bayern Munich 6-0 RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1 Werder Bremen, Freiburg 1-3 Augsburg, Heidenheim 1-3 Wolfsburg, Union Berlin 2-1 Stuttgart, St Pauli 3-3 Borussia Dortmund, Mainz 0-1 Köln, Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-0 Hamburg
Not every thing is ideal at Bayern; after Kane’s post-Tremendous Cup comments that the squad “is a bit light” Max Eberl is anticipated to return to the board in the present day and ask for additional funds, with one other ahead a precedence. That is with the lengthy sport and the rigours of an extended marketing campaign in thoughts as a result of for now, there isn’t a touching for Bayern. For the remainder of the Bundesliga, September can’t come quickly sufficient.
after publication promotion
Speaking factors
If anybody seems to be able to problem, it’s the younger bucks of Eintracht Frankfurt. Making mild of Hugo Ekitiké’s exit, they hammered Werder Bremen 4-1 with 19-year-old Can Uzun (a sensational opening aim and two assists) and 20-year-old Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (two objectives) main the way in which. No prizes for recognizing their subsequent €80m-plus gross sales.
The return of Hamburg after seven years away (within the season HSV went down Schalke have been runners-up within the Bundesliga and Pep Guardiola received his first Premier League title with Manchester Metropolis, to offer you some thought of how a lot has occurred since) was encouraging as they took a goalless draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach. “It will possibly solely get higher,” grumped the Gladbach captain, Rocco Reitz.
In actual fact each promoted groups – in what’s the rarest of occurrences within the fashionable European sport – saved a clear sheet on opening day, with Köln taking all three factors by way of Marius Bülter’s late headed winner finally season’s shock group Mainz. The true head-turner, although, was Effzeh’s new coach, Lukas Kwasniok, who wore the group’s dwelling shirt on the touchline. “I noticed the jersey presentation at a sponsors’ night and acquired goosebumps,” he mentioned. “Then the choice was clear to me. I’d do it, if I used to be allowed to” (notice; he was, as Köln have been carrying their black and gold away strip, with Kwasniok anticipated to change to that to keep away from a conflict after they play at dwelling in opposition to Freiburg subsequent week).
