RB Leipzig is the new BVB - no less, but no more either

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There was no longer any doubt.

Now it's all about finishing second, said Julian Nagelsmann after the final whistle: "We're playing a good season, we have to keep playing it - even if the first chance for a title is gone." RB Leipzig has ticked the championship.

The coach said what everyone thought: FC Bayern had just made the preliminary decision in the title fight.

Munich also scored in the 62nd competitive game in a row and won 1-0 (1-0) against pursuers Leipzig.

The gap at the top of the table has grown to a comfortable seven points seven games before the end of the season.

The title race that many had hoped for ended before it had even started.

Nagelsmann: Congratulations on the win, not on the title

Julian Nagelsmann congratulated FC Bayern on their 1-0 win against RB Leipzig, saying it was still too early for the championship.

Nevertheless, the coach does not believe that Bayern will gamble away their seven-point lead.

Source: Stats Perform News

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Before the game, a lot of time had been spent discussing how big the gap at the top of the table had to be in order to be able to speak of the decision in the fight for the title.

Would Bayern be enough to have a four point lead?

Or does it have to be seven?

Even at the moment, when the top game should finally be kicked off after all the gray theory of the past few days, there was still a need to philosophize about possible leeway in distance and gap.

Manuel Neuer was in dialogue with the referees at 6.30 p.m. after a hole was discovered in his goal net.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick had already felt a special dynamic in the final training.

The players were very focused.

His goalkeeper underpinned the assessment directly with the first action on the field.

Neuer quickly knotted his towel into the damaged net.

And it was the gesture of a boxer in anticipation of the first gong with which he tried to convince Daniel Siebert to kick off.

His assistant, however, preferred to have a Leipzig employee come and replace Neuer's towel with two cable ties.

Well-intentioned pragmatism, but Manuel Neuer's towel was not enough as a backup for the assistant referee

Source: dpa / Alexander Hassenstein

Nothing should be left to chance, after all, important questions had to be clarified that evening.

While the Leipzig team really wanted to get into the championship race with a win, Bayern was waiting for the first important indication of what the best offensive in Bundesliga history with 78 goals after 26 games without their exceptional striker Robert Lewandowski would be worth with a view to the season finale.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting replaced the Pole, who had injured his knee in the international match against Andorra and was absent for several weeks, in the center of the storm.

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The 32-year-old was not given many opportunities to distinguish himself.

A rotary shot from 14 meters (24th), that was it in the first half hour against Leipziger, who had been prescribed more possession by their coach.

“It would be worthwhile that we have the ball a little more this time.

Otherwise at some point the pressure will be so great that a Bayern goal will be in the air, ”said Nagelsmann.

RB Leipzig superior, but behind

That was not the case this time.

After 20 minutes, the challenger had gained an impressive 60 percent of possession, and at half-time they had at least 49 percent control of the game.

Only a narrow gap, which was reflected in the result in the first half despite a promising start.

Unlike the Saxons who started without a real center striker, who were never compulsory despite their optical overweight, Bayern used their first moment of danger in the 38th minute to score.

Masterful efficiency: Leon Goretzka (left) celebrates his decisive goal to make it 1-0 for FC Bayern Munich with template provider Thomas Müller

Source: Pool via REUTERS

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Because Thomas Müller hit a hook at the baseline after a long ball from Joshua Kimmich and carefully put it back on Leon Goretzka, who scored with his fifth goal of the season for Bayern's lead.

Leipzig's managing director Oliver Mintzlaff recognized a “brutal effectiveness”.

Even more, it was efficiency that made the difference that evening.

The passionate cheers from Bayern betrayed the importance and value that this hit had.

The Bavarians were there on time again.

“That's also a quality of our players.

That they are there to the point and know what is going on, "said Flick, who also recognized the opposing performance:" Leipzig has shown why they are up there.

They caused us some problems, but the morale and mentality of my team are outstanding. "

Most of them now also have a certain routine of how the title is secured in a direct duel with the respective pursuer.

Last season it was the 28th matchday when Munich won 1-0 in Dortmund with a goal from Kimmich and extended the lead at the top of the table to seven decisive points.

Worth seeing: In 2020 Joshua Kimmich decided the top game against BVB with a lob

Source: AFP / FEDERICO GAMBARINI

In the previous year, Munich had won the direct duel against their competitors BVB six rounds before the end (5-0) and thus laid the foundation for the championship.

On the way to the ninth title in a row, a lot is reminiscent of 2020. Munich's seven-point lead will hardly be taken away in seven games.

Especially since the goal difference for Leipzig, which is 18 hits, means that it is eight points behind.

However, there was no lack of opportunities to change something in the second section.

The Leipziger came out of the cabin with more determination and now more often in the penalty area to the conclusion.

A quarter of an hour before the end of the game, the hosts had already fired nine shots on goal in the second round, Bayern had none.

Marcel Sabitzer (49th) put his sideways puller just next to the goal and failed on the usual sovereign new one (58th).

Dani Olmo also moved from 14 meters (52nd) despite the free field of fire.

Physical and mental pain: Nordi Mukieles Leipziger gave best opportunities against FC Bayern

Source: Getty Images / Pool

The intensity remained high in view of the narrow lead and the high level of commitment on both sides.

The absence of Lewandowski was just as little a factor in Bayern's full defensive work as the failures of Jérôme Boateng and Alphonso Davies.

“We are FC Bayern Munich, and I think we are well advised not to think about it that much.

Then other players have to step into the breach, ”said the designated chairman of the board, Oliver Kahn.

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In view of the considerable losses on the part of Munich and the much discussed Lewandowski injury, however, the challenger's personnel problems went a little under.

Nagelsmann also had to do without three top performers.

Due to the failures of Angelino and Marcel Halstenberg, the wings were reoccupied.

And in the center, the technically skilled worker bee was missing with the yellow-barred Kevin Kampl.

The Leipzig team remained persistent until the end, invested a lot, but missed the due reward and had to ask themselves after the final whistle why they had lost this game in the first place.

What was missing was the gate

“We were certainly not the worse team,” stated Nagelsmann, “we are ahead in all relevant statistics.” What was missing was the goal.

And that shot the Bavarians.

"It really hurts," admitted Sabitzer and emotionalized the realization of the game: Leipzig is the new Dortmund.

Number one pursuer until sometime in April.

The best of the rest.

No less, but no more either.

At BVB you know only too well what it feels like to lose in the top game against Bayern.