DFC Bayern, which is in serious trouble, has embarrassed itself and also messed up the dress rehearsal for the Champions League hit at Arsenal. The Munich team gave away a 2-0 lead to newly promoted 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday and lost 2-3 (2-0). The gap to leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga grew to 16 points, and the championship could be decided as early as next weekend. Above all, the defeat was another major dampener for Bayern before the quarter-final first leg of the premier class in London on Tuesday.
Harry Kane (38th) and Serge Gnabry (45th) put the favorites in the lead, Kevin Sessa (50th) and double goalscorer Tim Kleindienst (51st/79th) turned the game in favor of the hosts in front of 15,000 spectators and thus ensured the Sensation.
“Dare anything today – beat Bayern” was written on a large banner in front of the Heidenheim fan block. The Swabians’ joy at hosting the record champions in a competitive game for the first time was noticeable throughout the stadium. But the people of Munich were initially unimpressed. They played with concentration and, even if they remained largely harmless, had everything under control in the first half hour. The ball ran through the ranks of the guests, with the outsiders mostly following behind. Once the Heidenheim team captured the ball, they quickly lost it again.
Kane’s leadership of Bayern was therefore deserved. The ball landed at the English star striker via Thomas Müller, who played his 700th competitive game for Munich and once again represented the ailing national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer as captain, and Gnabry. He hit the bottom left corner from a half-right position – it was his 32nd league goal of the current season.
Shortly before the break, Gnabry made it 2-0 with a header from a beautiful cross from Alphonso Davies. The 28-year-old, who was out for a long time due to a muscle injury and has to fight for his place in the German squad for the home European Championship, played from the start for the first time in almost five months. He represented the ailing Leroy Sané. After his joker goals in the victories against Mainz (8:1) and Darmstadt (5:2), Gnabry gained further self-confidence for the duel with his former club Arsenal.
At halftime there were many signs pointing to a confident Bayern victory. Referee Robert Schröder had to leave due to health problems and was replaced by the fourth official Patrick Alt – then things continued with a slight delay.
Then there was no stopping Tim Kleindienst after his goal to make it 2-2 against FC Bayern
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Image: dpa
And the Munich defense, in which Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim defended instead of Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier, was taken by surprise twice. Sessa and top scorer Kleindienst scored from long balls against the powerless Neuer representative Sven Ulreich in the Bayern goal. The two Heidenheim goals briefly turned the small arena into a madhouse. On the other side, Kane could have provided a quick response, but his low shot was missed by keeper Kevin Müller (56′).
Suddenly it was the wild game that the Munich team had absolutely wanted to prevent. Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel saw yellow for complaining (60′), Munich substitute Mathys Tel (68′) and Heidenheim’s Sessa (73′) missed good chances. Eleven minutes before the end, Kleindienst scored again and the Bayern defense didn’t look good once again.
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