This year everything is different: FC Bayern confident after 4-0 win against Mainz 05 in the DFB Cup round of 16

At FC Bayern, in addition to the long-term injured Alexandar Pavlović, Dayot Upamecano was also out, and Eric Dier made his season debut in the starting eleven at short notice. Leroy Sané and Konrad Laimer also started instead of Michael Olise and Raphaël Guerreiro. FSV Mainz 05 was missing new international player Jonny Burkhardt, but Bayern loanees Armindo Sieb and Gabriel Vidović started in attack.

FSV Mainz 05 – FC Bayern Munich: Match Summary

The game had only been kicked off for two minutes when FCB already had two shots on goal, including one goal. Davies passed flat into the middle to Kane, who passed to Musiala. The national player, who was not voted among the 30 best players in the world yesterday, remained ice-cold and put the ball into the far corner.

The favorites then kept the pressure on and missed two more great chances through their two wingers, so in the 37th minute it was Musiala again who extended the lead. Kane initially failed in his attempt to head a cross from Sané into the goal, but it was easier for Musiala from offside. But it didn’t stay at 2-0, Bayern struck twice more. First, the record cup winners countered a free kick from Mainz in textbook fashion. Kane sent Davies, who passed to Sané, who was running alongside him, and this time Bayern’s number 10 remained ice-cold.

In addition to Mainz, Musiala was also a victim of this goal, as it prevented Musiala from scoring a perfect hat trick three minutes later. Laimer crossed into the center, and the player who now scored a hat trick poked the ball over the line.

The game was restarted for another 45 minutes, but that could have been left alone. Little to nothing happened in the second half. Of relevance to FCB are possible defensive concerns in the central defense. Eric Dier had to be substituted, and Goretzka and Laimer ended up playing in the center.

FC Bayern: Three things that stood out

Gnabry lacks the final punch

Well, after such a dominant performance, grumpily criticizing an offensive player obviously has something of the constant nagging critic from the high ivory tower. But what else is there to say? Musiala is and remains a world-class player who is increasingly bringing the national team’s goalscoring gene to the club. At least it feels like a year or two ago he would have shot the keeper when the score was 1-0, instead of carefully turning his body and foot to put the ball past.

Things are a little different with Serge Gnabry. He doesn’t shoot at will. He is much more lively than last season, but we have to ask ourselves whether his start to the season isn’t being overrated a little. In the 27th minute there was another situation that was not only disappointing. Leroy Sané dribbled delicately through the center, but his long-range shot was ultimately blocked by Zentner, but Gnabry failed to get the rebound into the net from a good three meters.

Missing the goal here is the equivalent of a bad pass from your own defender 10 meters away from your own goal. Or losing a simple tackle in the last line. When things like this happen, people immediately talk about “defensive errors”; if you miss a goal opportunity like Serge Gnabry did, nobody talks about “striker errors”, but that’s exactly what this scene was. In the end, Bayern scored three more goals in the half and nobody talked about this scene anymore, but if the game turned around, it was precisely this missing 2-0 that was the crucial point. Too often, Serge Gnabry was missing the very last punch.

Unlucky game for Bayern’s talents

Vidović, Sieb on Mainz’s side, later Tel and Ibrahmović. Four talents were able to get minutes today, but it was still not a game for talents. Vidović and Sieb were fighting a losing battle in the inferior first half, it wasn’t their fault, it was more a very thankless move to throw them in here. Tel tried a little later, but the game was already over and he didn’t get much support. When Ibrahimović was finally thrown into the game a little late, there was nothing left to do but get playing time for the statistics. No, this round of 32 was definitely not a game for Bayern talents.

No VAR is not a solution either

The video assistant referee is discussed again and again, some are calling for the introduction of a challenge system, some for hybrid variants, but many are still calling for the complete abolition of video refereeing and the return of the good old days. But why this is not a solution is something we will see over these two days in the second round of the DFB Cup.

Heidenheim is denied a last-minute equalizer for nothing, Augsburg scores an offside goal and even without Bayern’s 2-0 there were always completely wrong offside calls here. But the 2-0 in particular is of course a prime example of video assistance. Musiala is constantly one step ahead of his defender throughout the entire movement, of course a good linesman should see it that way too, but if you have video evidence such errors can be easily corrected. A single repetition from almost any perspective is enough to identify the offside. Every spectator and assistant coach in the stands and benches had these images ready. Only the referees have no right to them.

No, no VAR is not a solution either. At least when it comes to offside (but not only there) it is now an indispensable part of football. Its fundamental opposition has lost, more and not less VAR is the solution. If you look at the referees’ performances over the past two days, it will probably be in the second round of the cup next year.

Match Facts:

Goals: 1:0, 2:0, 4:0 Musiala (2nd, 37th, 45th + 4), 3:0 Sané (45th + 1)
Yellow cards: Kohr (20th), Laimer (43rd), Jenz (45th + 3), Nebel (64th)
FSV Mainz 05 line-up: Zentner – Kohr, Jenz (Bell, 46th), Leitsch – Caci, Sano, Amiri (Gleiber, 56th), Mwene, Nebel, Vidović (Onisiwo, 46th) – Sieb (Weiper, 62nd)
FC Bayern Munich line-up: Neuer – Laimer, Dier (Ibrahimović, 78th), Kim (Goretzka, 58th), Davies (Guerreiro 58th) – Kimmich, Palhinha, Sané, Musiala (Müller, 46.), Gnabry – Kane (Tel, 46.)