Dhe end of his stadium withdrawal, Julian Nagelsmann announced with shining eyes from the domestic quarantine. During the final training for the anniversary game of goal scorer Robert Lewandowski against Benfica Lisbon on Monday in the dreary November gray of Munich, co-trainer Dino Toppmöller gave the commands on the pitch.
After all the corona rapid tests in the past few days and also the final PCR testing on Tuesday at Nagelsmann were negative, the 34-year-old can move into the last sixteen at the company in the evening (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on Amazon Prime) can direct again. “I’m really looking forward to being able to go back to the line,” said the 34-year-old. Four games without him – including the historic Cup bankruptcy in Gladbach – are enough for him. “I wasn’t really annoyed,” he said annoyed by the corona virus.
“He is healthy. He is back. We are happy that he can be back on the bench, ”said full-back Alphonso Davies, who wants to celebrate his 21st birthday with a win over Benfica and happy Bayern fans in his own arena. Nagelsmann burns with zest for action: He is actively leading the match plan meeting, the light training and also the team meetings in the day hotel in the hours before kick-off.
“Get ready again”
The boss is back – that’s what he likes most about himself. The mood on the grass during training on All Saints’ Day after the liberating 5-2 Bundesliga win at Union Berlin was much better and visibly relaxed again. The first positive answer to the 0: 5 clap in the DFB Cup against Gladbach was also received with great relief by Nagelsmann in his home kitchen at the weekend.
What he still lacked in the reaction demanded by his “champions” were “the last steps” in defensive work: “We have to regain the willingness.” Bayern still allow too many scoring chances. Only in the premier class is the zero consistently behind. Three wins, 12-0 goals – it’s going great in Europe.
Just one point in the second leg against Benfica would be enough to advance to the last sixteen. Nagelsmann was absent for the first time in the 4-0 win two weeks ago in Lisbon. But he wants to make the round of 16 perfect with “twelve points”, that is, with the fourth win in the fourth group game. Another demonstration of strength would be the ideal preparation for the game of the week on Saturday in the league against third-placed SC Freiburg. Nagelsmann could even spare some stars for it. He announced that he would “distribute the burden”. Davies, for example, was hit. Leon Goretzka (flesh wound on the foot) and Lucas Hernández (bruise) are fit again against Benfica.
The Bayern stars turned the malice after the debacle in Gladbach into motivation. “That’s okay with me, we are all not made of sugar,” said Thomas Müller to the “one or two saying below the belt” that had to be endured. Against Union, the offensive machine was running at full speed again with five attacking goals from Lewandowski (2), Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman and Müller. “Clear victory, three points, now we can focus on the Champions League and Benfica,” said Lewandowski.
The world footballer is in focus against Portugal’s top club. For the 100th time he is in the premier class. “It’s an impressive mark,” said Nagelsmann, especially when you consider the goal rate of 33-year-old Lewandowski. After five goals this season, the Pole wants to get closer to the 100-goal mark in his anniversary game, which so far only the two world stars Cristiano Ronaldo (137 goals) and Lionel Messi (123) have been able to surpass.
Lewandowski has 78 goals. “I hope that we will show our football again from the first minute, that we can get back into the rhythm and the pace and play out many situations in order to score the goals in the end,” said Lewandowski. Nagelsmann would also have a lot of fun on the sidelines.
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