DFL Supercup Offers Important Lessons For Bayern Munich And RB Leipzig

Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig have kicked off the 2022/23 Bundesliga season in spectacular fashion. The Rekordmeister and the current DFB Pokal winners faced one another in the DFL Supercup on Saturday in front of 47,000 fans at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. After a 3-0 lead in the first 45 minutes by Bayern, Leipzig stormed back and fell just short, with the game ending 3-5 in the Rekordmeister’s favor.

Jamal Musiala (14’), Sadio Mané (31’), Benjamin Pavard (45’) gave Bayern a convincing lead. Then Marcel Halstenberg (59’) put Leipzig on the board before Serge Gnabry (66’) seemingly put the game away. But Christopher Nkunku (77’) and Dani Olmo (89’) made it close before Leroy Sané (98’) finally put the game to rest.

“We are not satisfied,” Dani Olmo said about Leipzig’s comeback attempt after the game. The Spanish winger was visibly frustrated by Leipzig’s first half and the deep hole it put the club. “We must improve and learn from this game and the past few games.”

Olmo alluded to the game against Liverpool that Leipzig lost 5-0. A result that very much seemed possible at some point on Saturday as well. Bayern’s Jamal Musiala, in particular, had a storming game and was easily the best player on the pitch.

“We can create a lot of chances, and you have to make sure that we are ruthless on the defensive side as well,” Musiala said. The German teenager was playing in a roaming number 10 position on the left and had plenty of room to be creative. “The left side is very open, and you can always rotate to go out wide or come inside.”

Leipzig made it easy for Musiala to find the room, break the lines and cause all sorts of dangerous moments. Thankfully Leipzig, however, Musiala went off after 60 minutes. Without the teenager, the Leipzig attackers were all of a sudden free to attack more freely as their own backline was no longer in danger of being picked apart, which allowed them to be more adventurous.

“We played badly in the first half,” RB Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi said after the game. “We gifted them at least two goals after set plays. We were not alert enough, and with three goals down at halftime, it wasn’t an easy game to come back. They deserved to win the game because over the full 90 minutes; they were the better team.”

Ultimately, there were some important lessons for both clubs just one season before the Bundesliga kicks off in earnest. For Leipzig, it was the second time in short succession that they conceded five goals against a top team. “It isn’t like us to concede that many goals,” Gulacsi said.

Leipzig showed deficits in defense and in the transition game against Bayern. In the first half, the system by Domenico Tedesco seemed chaotic, and his team often caught out when moving the ball quickly forward. Striker Christopher Nkunku seemed lost, and the game only improved once Olmo came on in the second half (52’).

Substitutions also played a role for Bayern, but in their case, negatively. The game turned when Musiala was taken off in the 60th minute. The 19-year-old bossed the midfield and was incredibly important in transition moments.

Although not a nailed-down starter, Musiala made a case that he should be considered an essential member of the first team. Another factor was Bayern’s defense, and the backline of Dayot Upamecano and Lucas Hernández struggled in the second half to contain Leipzig’s high press and midfield dominance.

Nagelsmann will certainly be concerned about his side almost giving away a 3-0 and then a 4-1 lead. The Rekordmeister has work to do; getting new signing Matthijs de Ligt up to fitness will be paramount to increasing defensive security. Musiala and Marcel Sabitzer were highlights for Bayern Munich.

The bottom line is that work remains to be done for Bayern. But Nagelsmann will look at the result with the realization that while there are problems when it comes to his side, competitors like RB Leipzig are still a long way away from genuinely challenging his team for the title this season.

Manuel Veth is the host of the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Podcast and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth