Bayern Munich’s resurgence following their Champions League quarter-final qualification was short-lived, as they suffered a heavy defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund.
The “Klassiker” has left its mark. Bayern Munich had been showing signs of improvement in recent weeks, with three wins in four Bundesliga matches and a comfortable Champions League victory over Lazio. However, they were unable to maintain their momentum against Dortmund and conceded their first defeat at the Allianz Arena against their rivals in ten years.
The defeat has far-reaching consequences, as Bayer Leverkusen remain 13 points clear at the top of the table with just seven games remaining. “Is the Bundesliga over? Yes. Totally. Congratulations to Leverkusen,” Thomas Tuchel admitted after the defeat, despite Bayern Munich having won the last 11 titles. “We are very disappointed with our performance. We lacked intensity, we lacked urgency, we lacked commitment, we lacked hunger,” he added on ESPN.
READ MORE: Bayern Munich: Thomas Tuchel admits defeat in title race
Bayern Munich’s senior players are furious
Joshua Kimmich was the most vocal of the home players, saying: “I wonder how we can put in such a performance in such a big game. It’s completely inexplicable to me, it’s completely incomprehensible. In the second half, it felt like there was nothing at stake. It was like a friendly! We, the players, should go home and question ourselves. If we play like that, it will be difficult next week against Heidenheim and of course in the Champions League.”
Kingsley Coman echoed his teammate’s sentiments, saying: “I’m not happy to have come back with a defeat. I hope things will be better in the coming weeks. We had more chances than them in the first half, but they were clinical. To win these kinds of games, you have to take your chances.”
The tension is palpable within the team, just a few days before a crucial Champions League clash against Arsenal.
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