After FC Bayern’s five-goal statement against SC Freiburg, who were once again unsuccessful in Munich, Hasan Salihamidzic made a clear statement. “That’s the benchmark. We have to be measured by it now,” said the sporting director after the impressive 5-0 (2-0), with which the reigning German champions, who have been reigning since 2013, at least beat the Freiburg team on Sunday evening in the Bundesliga could displace two.
Of course, Salihamidzic doesn’t like looking at the table at the moment. The reason: “We are not yet where we belong.” What is meant is first place – and after ten matchdays Union Berlin is surprisingly enthroned, with at least four points ahead. And the Berliners are “rightly up there,” remarked Salihamidzic.
But that should change as soon as possible, preferably even on the five remaining game days this year, as Serge Gnabry announced. “We want to take all the points with us before the World Cup break,” said the Bayern attacker.
With the joy of playing and final strength on Sunday evening, the plan could work out. “It was an important sign after a few unnecessarily difficult weeks,” said Gnabry after the goal celebration, for which his attacking colleagues Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Leroy Sané and Sadio Mané and substitute midfielder Marcel Sabitzer ensured that he scored alongside himself.
Nagelsmann: “He can play football really well”
But one man stood out in the Allianz Arena and underlined with his spotless performance what added value a classic center forward can have for Bayern’s attacking game even after the Robert Lewandowski era. The 33-year-old Choupo-Moting was a “good target player” up front, as coach Julian Nagelsmann expressly stated. “Choupo did very well. His goal was outstanding, two good assists, he’s been a good wall player. He can play football really well. We’re happy to have him as the central nine.”
Choupo-Moting, who only got into the starting XI because of Thomas Müller’s absence (muscular problems), had “fun” on the pitch, as he said. “I’m happy with my goal, my assist and the way we played.” The fact that it went so well in front of the 75,000 spectators was also due to him.
And Fribourg? Coach Christian Streich simply dismissed his team’s next winless appearance in Munich as an industrial accident. The necessary energy level was missing. “We weren’t physically or mentally able to stand up to Bayern.” What happened then, he formulated in one sentence: “That’s why we lost 5-0.”
