Bundesliga: Bayern win Klassiker courtesy of Kimmich
May 26, 2020
Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich, Signal Iduna Park
(Kimmich 43')
A moment of individual brilliance by Joshua Kimmich settled Der Klassiker in Bayern Munich’s favor, delivering a lethal blow to Borussia Dortmund’s title hopes for another year.
Despite the absence of fans at Signal Iduna Park, this was a high quality and intense clash between Germany's two most famous teams. Both sides had seen shots cleared off the line in a high tempo first half, with Erling Haaland denied by Jerome Boateng after 30 seconds, and Lukasz Piszczek getting back to deny Serge Gnabry.
Dortmund enjoyed the best of the game but couldn’t find the net, and Kimmich punished Lucien Favre’s side emphatically with a gorgeous chip from 20 meters that beat Roman Bürki, despite his best efforts to claw it out.
Haaland withdrew through injury in the second half and, for all their fine build-up play, Dortmund never really looked like breaking down Bayern, and Robert Lewandowski could have rubber-stamped it late on, but saw his shot cannon back off the post.
Bayern now have a surely unassailable seven-point lead at the top, and are within touching distance of an eighth straight league title.
FT Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich — A massive three points for Bayern, who will surely make it eight straight Bundesliga titles now. Dortmund were good, but never really looked like scoring, and a high quality game was settled by a goal of the highest quality by Kimmich.
90' We'll play nother three minutes as Akanji shoulders Lewandowski off the ball cleanly, despite strong Bayern calls for a penalty.
89' Gueirrero with a vital interception to prevent Müller from finishing off a counter-attack. The Portuguese has been superb today, and since the return of the Bundesliga.
87' Time running out for Dortmund and Flick using his subs late on to distrupt Dortmund's rhythm, and it appears to be working.
86' Bayern sub: Javi Martinez on, Gnabry off.
85' Dortmund sub: Witsel on, Dahoud off.
84' Bayern sub: Hernandez on, Boateng off. Like for like change for the final five.
83' Off the post! Lewandowski almost settles it with a fine left-footed shot from distance that beats Bürki, but not the post.
82' Dortmund have to go for this now, but gaps appearing at the back as Bayern look to land the knockout blow.
81' Dortmund chance! Götze involved immediately as Dahoud seizes on a loose ball and hammers it at goal, and Neuer makes a flying save to his left.
80' Dortmund sub: Götze on, Piszczek off.
79' Bayern being pinned further back now as Dortmund throw everything at them for an equalizer. Huge ten minutes coming up.
77' Chance for Hazard, who misses from two meters out, but was offside anyway.
75' Gueirrero has a go from the resulting free-kick and it's well struck, but straight at Neuer.
74' Davies yellow for a chop on Reyna. He can't believe it, says he played the ball, but Dortmund have a chance.
73' Haaland is off then — injured. Hasn't really been his day and has suffered in the second half since Brandt's withdrawal, which looks a mistake by Favre. Brandt was the spark for Dortmund.
72' Dortmund sub: Reyna on, Haaland off.
71' First contribution from Sancho who delivers a teasing cross from the left that evades everyone and flashes narrowly wide of the far post.
69' Can sees a shot from distance charged down, and it seems like Dortmund have been reduced to shooting from distance. They're lacking Brandt's ingenuinety to create chances for Haaland.
67' Dahoud gets a yellow for a foul on Müller, but that's a bit harsh. No more than a foul, surely?
64' Müller sees yellow though, for a late one on Akanji. A classic 'striker's challenge'.
62' Hakimi lucky not to see yellow for a cynical one on Müller, who was leading a promising Bayern counter-attack.
60' Dortmund's intensity is nowhere near their first half levels and Bayern are winning all the loose balls.
58' Haaland goes close! The Norwegian's shot deflects off Boateng, who had slipped, and goes out for a Dortmund corner. Replays show it struck the back of Boateng's arm, but the defender couldn't do a thing to prevent that.
54' Chance! Bürki at full stretch to deny Müller, and Hummels is fouled as he makes another crucial clearance.
53' Hummels gets his teammate Sancho out of jail with the Englishman losing the ball to Lewandowski, whose shot was blocked really well by the former Germany defender.
51' Bayern have started the second half well though. No real chances to speak of, but there's a snap to their play that was perhaps missing in the first 45.
49' Dahoud finds some space 25 meters out and goes for goal with a decent drive, but Neuer isn't overly concerned.
48' Coman gets into a fine position, but his cross is over-hit and beyond Lewandowski.
46' We're back underway in Dortmund. Dortmund have made a double change at the break: Sancho and Can are on, Brandt and Delaney are off.
HT Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich — One moment of sublime quality by Kimmich puts Bayern in the driving seat. Dortmund had been the better team but not finished them, and Kimmich punishes them emphatically.
43' GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich — Kimmich scores! Bayern lead and it's stunning from Kimmich. The ball comes to the Germany midfielder on the edge of the box and he beats Bürki with a gorgeous chip. World class.
40' Goretzka with a thumping drive from distance, but it's straight at Bürki, who opts to punch it away.
38' Davies gets into the box but Hummels uses all his experience, and bounces Davies off the ball. The old man teaching the protege something about defending there.
36' Dortmund were building nicely, but Brandt's makes a rare miscue, and the cross is out of play. Dortmund need something to show for their impressive play on the ball.
34' Piszczek with another great tackle! The Pole is having the game of his life, this time getting back, Davies-style, to deny Müller in a dangerous area.
33' What a recovery by Davies! Haaland skips past Alaba and seems to be going clean through, but Davies shows unbelievable pace to get back and make a key challenge on Haaland. Absolutely sensational defending by the 19-year-old.
31' Chance for Dortmund as Hummels gets around the back, but his header towards Haaland is intercepted.
30' Another sight at goal for Haaland, but he doesn't make a clean contact and the ball goes wide.
28' Haaland goes for a spectacular overhead kick, but gets it wrong. But the move stays alive and Brandt crosses again for Haaland, but Alaba rises well to make a brilliant headed clearance.
27' Lewandowski stays down after Piszczek catches him. It was a fair tackle, but the Bayern man felt that.
26' Chance for Dortmund on the counter, but Dahoud's ball catches Brandt on the back foot.
25' Poor pass by Piszczek lets Lewandowski drive forward, but Piszczek gets make to make a magnificent recovery tackle on his compatriot. Old friends, those two.
23' Coman tests Bürki with a snap shot, but the keeper is equal to the shot.
21' Bayern looking comfortable out there now. A slow start for the champions, but their combinations and movement is starting to cause Dortmund a few problems.
19' Off the line! Gnabry almost scores the opener, drilling the ball at goal from close range — but Piszczek is in the right place at the right time to make the stop, with Bürki committed.
18' Bayern just starting to ease themselves into the game now.
16' Kimmich crunches Delaney late with a typical Kimmich tackle. No yellow card, but that was borderline.
15' Coman spots the run of Müller, but the pass is slightly over-cooked.
13' Coman has Hummels on toast with a quick turn, and the veteran drags him back. A very clear yellow card, the first of the game.
11' Beautiful floated ball into the box by Kimmich skims the top of Müller's head, but any contact there and it's going in. The first time Bayern have threatened.
10' Dortmund have the ball in the net but the flag is up. It's a superb move by the hosts involving Hakimi, Hazard and Haaland.
8' Good move by Dortmund again as Haaland forces a corner off Davies, who had got back well. Akanji flicks on the resulting corner but Lewandowski, of all players, makes the clearance.
6' Favre has been on the winning side twice against Bayern during his time as Dortmund coach. Once in the league and once in the Super Cup at the start of this season. So far here, Dortmund have started the stronger.
5' Müller feeds Lewandowski, whose shot is blocked well by Hummels, who stuck to the Pole like glue.
4' A positive start by Dortmund, though.
3' Brandt stings the palms of Neuer, cutting in from the left and letting fly. But Neuer is able to gather.
1' Off the line! What a start here as Haaland almost scores for Dortmund inside 30 seconds, with Neuer caught in Nomansland. But Boateng is back to clear off the line, fairly comfortably in the end.
1' KICK OFF! We're underway in sunny Dortmund in a game that could have huge ramifications for the title race.
18:15 CET Haaland vs Lewandowksi
It's a Klassiker debut for Erland Haaland, who has 10 in 10 in the Bundesliga for Dortmund. That's a goal every 69 minutes, and even better than Robert Lewandowski's impressive goal every 82 minutes. Which one of these brilliant No.9s will be celebrating later?
17:55 CET No Thiago, no problem?
Bayern coped well without Thiago Alcantara against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, with both of Frankfurt's goals coming from set pieces, which Thiago would have been powerless to stop anyway. So Hansi Flick clearly feels he has enough in midfield with Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in a slightly withdrawn role, to win the midfield battle today.
17:45 CET Midfield gamble
Lucien Favre has made a big call in not recalling Axel Witsel and Emre Can to the heart of his Dortmund midfield for what is their biggest game of the season. Even with both struggling for full fitness, their big game experience would surely be vital against Bayern. Jadon Sancho, who also seems to be short of fitness, also remains on the bench. Alongside Marco Reus, Dortmund are without four of their most influential players from the start — although Mats Hummels being fit to start is a positive.
17:30 CET - Team news!
Borussia Dortmund line up with the same XI that started the previous two games against Schalke and Wolfsburg. Sancho remains on the bench, with Witsel and Can there too. Delaney and Dahoud keep their places in midfield.
Bayern make just one change from the side that beat Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend, with Gnabry reinstated to the starting XI. Ivan Perisic makes way.
Hello and welcome to DW's LIVE coverage of a mouth-watering tie at the top of the Bundesliga as Borussia Dortmund look to move within a point of league leaders Bayern Munich when the welcome them to the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK on Tuesday evening. The blog goes LIVE at 17:30 CEST (16:30 GMT/11:30 ET), join us then, but in the meantime check out our pre-match lowdown ahead of Der Klassiker.
Pre-match spotlight: Erling Haaland
Even though he whiffed at thin air against Wolfsburg, the new star striker on BVB's books has scored 10 Bundesliga goals in 10 games. Having netted double figures in Germany's top flight, the Austrian Bundesliga and the Champions League this season, can the 19-year-old open his account against Bayern?
Pre-match spotlight: Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich's star striker Robert Lewandowski has scored a whopping 12 goals in his last six games against his former club. Only Klaus Allofs (18) has scored more goals against Borussia Dortmund in Bundesliga history than the prolific Pole (16).
Fun fact!
The 2-0 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday saw Borussia Dortmund win a sixth straight game for the first time under head coach Lucien Favre. You have to go back to 2012 for the last time BVB put a longer run together when they won seven straight across two seasons under Jürgen Klopp.
From the coaches' mouth: Lucien Favre
"Compared to the reverse fixture, we have a different formation that fits our squad better. We also have Emre Can and Erling Haaland, two strong players who’ve increased the quality of our team.”
From the coaches' mouth: Hansi Flick
"Borussia Dortmund have found a lot of defensive stability after changing their formation. I imagine they will start quite defensively. But if they try something else, we'll definitely be ready. We'll see whose mentality will cope best, but regardless of the result, nothing will be decided."
Fun fact!
Bayern Munich have 80 goals to their name through 27 matches in the 2019/20 campaign - a new Bundesliga record. Furthermore, no head coach in Bayern's history has ever seen their side score as many goals in their first 17 games in charge as Hansi Flick (55!).
Probable line-ups: Borussia Dortmund
Bürki - Piszczek, Hummels, Akanji - Hakimi, Can, Delaney, Guerreiro - Hazard, Brandt - Haaland
Probable line-ups: Bayern Munich
Neuer - Pavard, Boateng, Alaba, Davies - Kimmich - Coman, Müller, Goretzka, Gnabry - Lewandowski