Fröttmaning
Der Klassiker
I donned my supporter gear and caught the U-Bahn to the northern outskirts of München, to Allianz Stadium, home of Bayern Munich. (This is a curious name for a football club. You could not imagine a team in Australia being named “NSW Sydney” for example) It was a relatively long journey and when I arrived at Fröttmaning I was part of a large stream of fans making their way to the venue.
The stadium itself is quite a breathtaking structure to behold. It is another legacy of the 2006 World Cup which clearly the DFB used well to create world class stadia across Germany. This is a venue worthy of a World Cup Final, and perhaps reflects Bayern Munich’s pervasive, and not entirely positive effect on German football. They want it all and they invariably get it.
Massive support for BVB
I had a great seat high up in the second tier in the south eastern corner. As I was settling into my seat I looked around to find I was part of a strong contingent of 7,500 BVB Dortmund fans led by the ultras above us in the top (3rd tier). Shortly after, the seat to my left was occupied and a young man said to me “You’re from Australia aren’t you?”. And so I met Tim Körber with whom I was to share the highs and lows of the evening to come.
Dortmund started well, really well, as they launched some decent forays towards the Bayern goal. But in the fourth minute, with its first attack of the game, Bayern engineered a stunning move which led to an unmarked Franck Ribéry passing the ball into the goal from about 15m. Bayern then took control of possession and suddenly BVB were struggling to contain them. Young Felix Passlack at right back will not quickly forget the lesson dealt him by the wily veteran, Ribéry. But it was the Marc Bartra who conceded a free kick just outside the penalty area in the 9th minute. I said to Tim, “This is danger” and 15 seconds later Lewandowski had put the ball over a ducking Dembelé in the Dortmund wall and it was 2-0.
Dortmund had lost their swagger and Bayern now had complete control of the match. Their passing game was too quick and precise for a Dortmund team that was giving them far too much room to play. Arjen Robben was allowed no less than 4 shots on goal: the first two just outside the far post, and the remaining two requiring smart saves from Roman Bürki.
But then a strange thing happened: Dortmund scored! Aubameyang was sent through down the left hand side, overhit his cross but Passlack made a great effort to keep the ball in play. His cross from the right was met with a weak clearance which fell to Guerreiro who has never hit a ball more sweetly than his shot which rifled into the roof of the net. 2-1 and game on!
The contest then largely evened out. Bayern were still looking more likely to score but BVB were definitely in the game. Or so we thought.
Half Time - Brothers in Scarves (The Thüler Borussen - Australia friendship is thriving)
Dortmund started the second half well with Auba having a shot on goal from a tight angle in the second minute. But then they were punished for naïve over-commitment forward when a simple ball over the top found Arjen Robben in hectares of space on the right in Dortmund’s half. He ran at the goal stepped quite predictably onto his left foot leaving Schmelzer and Sokratis stranded and curled the ball around Bürki into the goal. Just like that.
And then followed a Bayern master class. The best club team in the world (IMHO) just stroked the ball around the park, keeping the ball for long periods before making an attempt on goal. Rinse and repeat. Xabi Alonso and Thiago Alcantara were the orchestra leaders as they dictated the tempo of the match and ran an admittedly poor opponent ragged. It was painful and it was ruthless. But it was an awesome sight to see this team execute its passing and running game with such precision, creativity and pace.
And for all that there was another turning point of sorts. Dortmund managed to organise a scrap of possession into a one on one chance for Auba but his slight miscontrol, and the defensive harassment of Martinez and Boateng, led to Boateng clearing his weak chip over the keeper, Ulreich before it crossed the goal-line. From the ensuing counterattack Lewandowski was sent clear down the left, drove into the penalty area where he contrived to be felled by Roman Bürki; yellow card and penalty (which was converted). Game over, 4-1. Naivety, capitulation, humiliation. It was yet another tough afternoon for Dortmund at Allianz Arena where they were monstered by this freak of a football team.
Echte Liebe
At the end of the game, in spite of what had just gone down, the Dortmund team came down to our corner and received a warm round of applause and cheers from the BVB faithful.
There can be honour and togetherness even in defeat, and these fans and players have the class to know it and show it. This is a real CLUB that sticks together through good times and bad.
Footnote: Bayern is in serious danger of destroying the fabric of German football. They are now so focussed on their European ambitions that they are letting nothing stand in their way. Money talks and their capacity to buy the best players (quite often from their Bundesliga opponents) has led to a situation where supporters of the 17 other clubs are resigned to competing for second place. Bayern’s success is to be acknowledged and admired but something must be done, ideally at a European level, to wind up this football pornography where half a dozen super teams compete for trophies while the bedrock of the game, the other few hundred clubs with millions of supporters between them, are there just to make up the numbers.
Germany gets so many things right. Generally its clubs are built from the bedrock of their communities, resulting in outstanding levels of support and a fan culture which is second to none. It is time to listen to the majority of those fans. Maybe it is time for the other clubs to band together a little and clip those Bavarian wings. A genuinely competitive league is good for everyone.
Der Night Out
Sorrows are to be drowned. German beer is all but peerless. German Irish beer is crap. Kennedy's Irish Pub at Sendlinger Tor rocks. Thanks to Tim, Florian and friends for your hospitality.
