Mueller bemoans ‘unfamiliar’ home loss
Frankfurt hand Bayern their first Bundesliga home defeat since November 2019
Thomas Mueller admitted that Bayern Munich’s first home Bundesliga defeat for nearly two years was a wake-up call after the Bavarian giants had won all their previous nine matches following an opening-day draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach.
“We are, of course, disappointed. Or angry, annoyed, I don’t know which best describes it,” said Mueller, in the wake of Sunday’s 2-1 shock home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
“This is a game that we definitely didn’t have to lose.”
Bayern’s new coach Julian Nagelsmann suffered his first defeat in any competition this season as Filip Kostic hit a low shot past Manuel Neuer from a tight angle seven minutes form time.
It was Bayern’s first home league defeat since November 2019 and Frankfurt’s first win in Munich for 21 years.
“Defeat always hurts,” Nagelsmann admitted.
“On one hand, because it was the first, and on the other, because it was totally avoidable.”
Bayern had 21 shots on goal to their visitors' five and had 68 per cent of possession, but paid the price for not making their dominance count.
“When we go 2-1 up, it can also end up being a 3-1 or 4-1 result, then we hear ‘Super Bayern’ being sung, but that (performance) had nothing to do with ‘Super Bayern’,” admitted Mueller.
“It’s an unfamiliar situation, an unfamiliar feeling.”
Despite the defeat, Bayern stay top of the Bundesliga, but they are now level with Bayer Leverkusen, who also have 16 points. The clubs meet after the international break.
Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp, Germany’s fourth-choice goalkeeper, pulled off a string of world-class saves.
After seeing Leon Goretzka’s first-half shot fly past him for Bayern’s opening goal, Trapp did superbly to block a Robert Lewandowski header early in the second half.
“That was pure intuition, you don’t have much time to think about it,” said Trapp, on the reflex save with his foot.
He then denied Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Lewandowski again before celebrating wildly with his teammates after the final whistle at the Allianz Arena.
“I don’t think many believed that we had a chance here,” added Trapp, after Frankfurt’s first Bundesliga win this season under new coach Oliver Glasner.
“It was really a lot of work, but we defended very well against a Bayern team that is in incredible shape.” – AFP
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