Jackson makes his Bundesliga debut
©IMAGO
FC Bayern celebrated their next dominant victory even without their top three scorers around the long-spared Harry Kane. Without Kane and wingers Michael Olise and Luis Díaz as well as other starting eleven who were rested for the big Champions League test against Paris Saint-Germain, their representatives convincingly assumed the main roles in the 3-0 (3-0) victory against Bayer Leverkusen. In the top Bundesliga match, only one team was in the lead.
While Munich won for the 15th time in the 15th competitive match of the season, Leverkusen’s away streak in the league ended without defeat after two and a half years and 37 matches. Bayer acted without courage at the Allianz Arena.
Serge Gnabry for his 250th Bundesliga match (25th minute), Nicolas Jackson, on loan from Chelsea, with his first league goal (31st) and Leverkusen’s defensive uncertainty Loïc Badé with an own goal (44th) made things clear at half-time in what had recently been such an exciting confrontation.
On the eve of Bayern’s general meeting, with the certain re-election of Herbert Hainer as president, the offensive power of Kane, Olise and Díaz, who entered the game after just over an hour, was no longer important in determining the winner.
Previously, Kane had repeatedly applauded his colleagues from the sidelines with his hands above his head. Central defenders Dayot Upamecano and Aleksandar Pavlovic also sat on the bench alongside the England national team captain and celebrated the goals. They all had the right to breathe for the first class clash on Tuesday against PSG, the reigning champion.
However, in front of 75,000 spectators at the Allianz Arena, Leverkusen’s fragile defense had no respite in the first half of the match. The Werkself, which experienced a major upheaval this summer, showed no signs of Bayer Leverkusen, who, under the leadership of successful coach Xabi Alonso, had deceived FC Bayern as double winners in the 2023/24 season. Sometimes the guests gave in without any resistance to the superiority of Munich.
The first two goals conceded are exemplary. After a dream pass from Tom Bischof, Jarell Quansah allowed the energetic Gnabry to escape. The national player scored his 95th goal in his 250th Bundesliga match.
Jackson didn’t even face pressure from his opponents when he scored with his beautiful header to make it 2-0 after a Konrad Laimer cross into the penalty area. A little later, the Chelsea loanee scored again – but was ruled offside.
When Raphaël Guerreiro struck the ball in front of the Leverkusen goal shortly before half-time, Badé headed it towards his own goal. The overwhelmed defense chief made the perfect evening he needed. Coach Kasper Hjulmand stabilized Leverkusen after the failed project with Erik ten Hag, but has now suffered his first league defeat.
Former Leverkusen defense chief Jonathan Tah was not brought in to do any defensive work when he reunited with his former colleagues. He therefore contributed with clever passes at the opening of the match. After the break, the action on the pitch continued. In the end, Bayern celebrated their first Bundesliga victory against Leverkusen in three years.