SC Freiburg – Bayern Munich 1: 4 (0: 0), Goals: 0: 1 Goretzka (58′), 1: 1 Petersen (63′), 1: 2 Serge Gnabry (73′), 1: 3 Coman (83′), 1: 4 Sabitzer (90’+6′)
Every hero needs a weak point, Achilles already knew that, to whom fate gave a vulnerable heel. Leon Goretzka, the man with the superhero muscles at FC Bayern, has an unstable knee. Pain plagued him there for four months, he returned against SC Freiburg and was in the starting XI. It was clear: Munich had to mobilize all available forces to tear down the defense wall that had been erected in Breisgau.
Goretzka then led the Bavarian demolition squad, he headed the 4-1 (0-0) to make it 1-0. The goal was tantamount to a salvation for Goretzka after his return and for Bayern Munich, who despite having 70 percent of the ball in the first half and making a few impressive combinations, couldn’t create a goal. But Freiburg also have their heroes: Nils Petersen’s super power is wildcard goals, of course he scored a few seconds after coming on to make it 1-1.
Luckily for Bayern, Serge Gnabry also wore a Superjoker costume that afternoon, he also scored the 2-1 a few seconds after being substituted on. Wing sidekick Kingsley Coman was also allowed to celebrate, when Freiburg’s otherwise reliable goalkeeper Mark Flekken didn’t look good when he scored the 3-1. Often enough he had already been the hero for the SC. Of course, a substitute player had to set the final point in this game: Marcel Sabitzer scored to make it 4:1.
However: A total of almost ten minutes were replayed because there was confusion about Julian Nagelsmann’s change. Freiburg’s sports director Jochen Saier confirmed on Sky that Bayern had twelve players on the field for a short time (the information varies between ten and 20 seconds). According to Freiburg’s Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Süle entered the field – but no Bayern player left. Referee Christian Dingert continued the game after minutes of discussion with a dropped ball.
Nagelsmann later described the scene as follows: “Weird situation – the wrong number was displayed, so King knew (Coman, Anm.) not that he had to go down. That’s why we were one player too many for a few seconds. It wasn’t a game-changing situation for me.” Freiburg coach Christian Streich said: “I firmly believe that we won’t have to appeal. But that there is a set of rules. We are subject to this set of rules and act accordingly. That’s my understanding.”
It was initially unclear what consequences this would have for the outcome of the game and the game rating. Referee Dingert said he noted the incident in the game report. Everything else must be decided by the DFB.
Bayer Leverkusen – Hertha BSC 2: 1 (2: 1), Tore: 1: 0 Alario (34.), 2: 0 Bellarabi (40.), 2: 1 Darida (42.)
The Bundesliga has been waiting for this general for nine and a half years, 3451 days to be exact. Then he was back on the field like a Napoleon, this time in the blue coat of Hertha BSC at Bayer Leverkusen. Exactly 3451 days after his departure, however, Felix Magath did not judge his new team’s victory, but instead, despite great commitment, a defeat again.
After 3451 days and 34 minutes, Magath first noticed the first goal conceded: Leverkusen’s Diaby prevailed on the right and passed in the middle to Alario, who pirouetted when receiving the ball and hit the top left corner of the goal accurately. Things got worse for Magath’s Hertha – Bellarabi made it 2-0, staged again by Diaby – before things got better. Hertha now gave up his passivity and, driven by Napoleon on the sidelines, managed to score the goal two minutes later through Darida after a Mittelstedt cross.
But it was an unlucky day for Hertha, who had to change goalkeepers after just 15 minutes: Alexander Schwolow was unable to continue playing due to an injury and was replaced by Marcel Lotka, who was only 20 years old. Niklas Stark also left the field battered. After nine and a half years, Magath’s work isn’t getting any easier.
Arminia Bielefeld – VfB Stuttgart 1: 1 (0: 1), Goals: 0: 1 Kalajdzic (25th, penalty), 1: 1 Kruger (60th)
There are also bright spots in the bottom of the table: after four defeats, Bielefeld placed his hopes on VfB Stuttgart – a team that Arminia had consistently beaten since 2020. Possibly the East Westphalians got down to business a bit too impetuously in this relegation duel: When Stuttgart’s Tiago Thomas cleared a corner for a corner, Patrick Wimmer stopped the ball with his upper arm outstretched. Kalajdzic converted the penalty penalty with a right-footed shot. Bitter for Arminia, who again had to fish a ball out of their own net despite a great commitment. Shortly before the break, Marmoush could have increased the pace after a tempo run, but pushed the ball past the far post unhindered. From then on, Stuttgart dominated the game – but then Bielefeld’s moment of light came: Krüger stole away behind the defense and pushed the ball into the goal after a cross from Serra. A goal almost out of nowhere – and a glimmer of hope on the alp.
Eintracht Frankfurt – SpVgg Greuther Furth 0:0 (0:0)
If you want to take the big hurdles, you have to jump over sticks. Frankfurt are playing against FC Barcelona in the Europa League in five days, but were unable to get past a 0-0 draw in the Bundesliga against the bottom team, SpVgg Greuther Fürth. On the one hand, this was due to Eintracht’s final weakness, on the other hand to the furious Fürth defense work. Conclusion: dress rehearsal failed. Congratulations to Fuerth.
TSG Hoffenheim – VfL Bochum 1: 2 (0: 1), Tore: 0: 1 Asano (28.), 1: 1 Raum (54.), 1: 2 Asano (59.)
Even before the kick-off, VfL Bochum managed to deceive: the game clearly announced a defensive basic formation. That was less surprising, after all, the promoted team was the outsider against the European Cup aspirants Hoffenheim. But on the field, Bochum then played as aggressively and briskly as is otherwise known from TSG. But a goal was scored just when Hoffenheim had just adjusted the role distribution. Takuma Asano dribbled into the middle after an outstanding pass from VfL keeper Riemann and hit the goal forcefully. Milan Pantovic should have made it 2-0 before the half-time whistle. The missed opportunity took revenge in the person of David Raum, who equalized with a remarkable flick for Hoffenheim. But Asano found an answer again: with his goal to make it 2-1.
