Bayern Virtuoso Kane Conducts Klassiker As Jobe Bellingham’s Slip Proves Vital | Andy Brassell

Every convention needs its flagship, its clásico, Classique aliases derby. An arena which rouses nan senses sloppy of existent shape aliases fortune. Bayern Munich appeared fresh for nan infinitesimal and Borussia Dortmund possibly little so. Despite itself, Der Klassiker yet sparked into life – and we were near pinch a consciousness of what could person been.

The cliche describes a crippled of 2 halves; this was much for illustration a crippled of 1 half. We had 45 minutes of an attack-v-defence training session, followed by nan existent match, nan 1 that we came for. By then, perhaps, it was a small excessively precocious for nan bluish touchpaper to beryllium lit. We were much successful nan realm of sparklers than catherine wheels.

By nan extremity Harry Kane, having opened nan scoring successful that breeze of a first half pinch a breeze of a goal, nodding successful simply from Joshua Kimmich’s corner, was playing for illustration a midfield general, container to box, scrapping successful beforehand of his ain defence arsenic overmuch arsenic he attacked (and location was clip for that second clause too, arsenic he expertly slipped successful Luis Díaz connected nan flank to create a curious, yet decisive 2nd extremity for Michael Olise).

This was virtuoso Kane, nary longer nan simultaneous No 9 and No 10 that has truthful conquered Germany successful nan past two-and-a-bit years but an all-round maestro, “a 6, an 8 and a 10,” arsenic he described his lucifer to Archie Rhind-Tutt connected nan touchline afterwards. If we must beryllium truthful vulgar arsenic to picture nan England captain’s excellence by numbers, he had already weighed successful from a statistical position by heading nan first-half opener. Debate raged connected German tv arsenic to whether Kane had committed a foul, pinch Lothar Matthäus claiming that nan striker’s gentle nudge connected Serhou Guirassy astatine nan beforehand station was “a clear foul”. There were nary protests from nan visitors, and possibly that was portion of nan problem.

BVB’s first half xG was 0.00. Even for nan cynics who tin unrecorded without xG arsenic a concept, location is small arguing pinch a statistic that unequivocal. Despite being infamous for a drawstring of capitulations astatine nan Allianz Arena successful caller years, Dortmund had not mislaid connected their past 2 visits here, a triumph and a draw. Kane had not scored against them successful 3 games since knocking a hat-trick past them successful his first Klassiker, backmost successful November 2023. Yet this, facing Bayern’s customary strength successful nan Vincent Kompany era, was a changeless retreat, arsenic moreover Niko Kovac recognised while he was complaining astir referee Bastian Dankert aft nan game. “My first half wasn’t good,” he confessed, “but his full crippled wasn’t good.”

There was overmuch to marvel astatine from a Bayern position arsenic they forced nan visitors back. Díaz and Kane shone. Olise put his disappointingly mean showings pinch France successful nan world model firmly down him. At right-back Sacha Boey looked for illustration nan subordinate Bayern thought they were buying for much than €30m successful January 2024, earlier injuries stymied him. But this was a recital alternatively than an speech of qualities.

Luis Díaz continues his good shape astatine Bayern Munich, present easing distant from Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson. Photograph: Angelika Warmuth/Reuters

Having played a half successful which they could and should person been “three aliases 4 up” arsenic Kane put it, Bayern weren’t and Dortmund awoke aft nan break astatine only 1-0 down. They were chances, for Felix Nmecha, for Guirassy and for Karim Adeyemi, nan second slipping arsenic he looked primed to equalise, ballooning his changeable precocious and wide of Manuel Neuer’s goal. The decisive slip, though, was still to come.

Jobe Bellingham had been sent connected for nan last 17 minutes of normal clip arsenic Kovac aimed to unit Dortmund’s measurement backmost successful pinch fresher legs, connected a time successful which Bayern’s chair looked ray fixed their injuries (something which Kane foresaw successful pre-season, successful fact). Then nan youngster had his rabbit successful nan headlights infinitesimal – sent by Kane, Díaz crossed, it went past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to Bellingham, stumbling connected his ain goalline. He appeared to retrieve his footing but successful aiming to clear could only occurrence nan shot arsenic acold arsenic Olise’s challenge, pinch nan shot ending up successful nan backmost of nan net. It was a horrible infinitesimal for nan Englishman and, fixed nan unit connected him arsenic he follows successful relative Jude’s footsteps, ever destined to beryllium angled arsenic his trouble successful adapting to elite level life successful microcosm, nan large infinitesimal that he wasn’t rather fresh for.

Jobe Bellingham’s attempted clearance is deflected successful by Michael Olise for Bayern’s 2nd goal. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

This is unfair. It could person happened to anyone – Kovac emphasised he saw “no responsibility connected Jobe’s part” and Kane talked of his tricky commencement successful nan Bundesliga arsenic “part of nan learning process astatine this level”. Bellingham nan younger is not yet expected to beryllium a game-changer for BVB and nor should he be. Kovac is not known arsenic nan world’s keenest developer of young players but his no-nonsense demeanour could really activity successful Jobe’s favour. There will beryllium nary typical curen – conscionable request and reward for afloat effort. The diversion levels nan coach expects are attainable and nan remainder will come.

This could beryllium a mantra for this Dortmund squad arsenic a whole. After years of confused transportation policy, of underachieving large money signings, scrambling for nan Champions League and nan way location not mattering excessively much, Kovac has a map, moreover if nan travel is not nan 1 which 1 mightiness person typically associated pinch Dortmund. Bayern’s roadworthy is different, pinch this seventh triumph retired of 7 successful nan Bundesliga (and 11th from 11 successful each competitions) underlining they are connected different level. This is not yet BVB’s level. There were small hints successful nan 2nd half that they are gaining nan subject to purpose towards it, though. Then, maybe, we tin get a full Klassiker and not a half.

Talking points

• Leipzig needed to return advantage of probable dropped Dortmund points and return advantage they did, intermittently dazzling pinch a Christoph Baumgartner brace and past uncovering nan resoluteness to bent connected for a triumph against a amended than expected truthful acold Hamburg. There was besides a heartwarming reception and choreo for nan returning Yussuf Poulsen, now pinch HSV aft 12 years successful Lower Saxony (to put that into perspective, RB Leipzig were 4 years aged erstwhile he joined). He will beryllium backmost arsenic well, post-playing career, pinch CEO Oliver Mintzlaff telling nan Dane “the doorway is wide unfastened for you here”.

• Leverkusen’s domiciled successful this play is becoming clearer; they’ll return a while uncovering their caller selves and will entertain america greatly successful nan meantime, arsenic they did successful nan measurement harder than it needed to beryllium 4-3 triumph astatine Mainz. Kasper Hjulmand is wisely leaning connected acquisition while things settee down, pinch Álex Grimaldo scoring doubly and nan restored Jonas Hofmann weighing successful usefully.

Álex Grimaldo scored doubly successful Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-3 triumph astatine Mainz. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock

• Despite appointing a caller sporting head successful nan knowledgeable Rouven Schröder, nan Borussia Mönchengladbach situation continues. They are still winless aft Friday night’s 3-1 nonaccomplishment astatine Union Berlin, wherever they were 2 down wrong 26 minutes. “You can’t spend a commencement for illustration that astatine Bundesliga level,” lamented Schröder, whose adjacent determination will beryllium whether to support connected interim coach Eugen Polanski. Little will beryllium gleaned from nan gathering pinch Bayern adjacent up truthful a Pokal gathering pinch Karlsruhe and convention matches pinch St Pauli and rivals Köln could determine his fate.