Kovač surprised Bayern with a 4-4-2, Saibari and Gnabry went off injured inside half an hour, Kane hit the bar from the spot, and Fábio Silva's 89th-minute goal kept Dortmund level at the top.
The numbers
| FC Bayern München | Borussia Dortmund | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 56% | 44% |
| Shots | 23 | 12 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 6 |
| xG | 4.48 | 0.74 |
| Touches in opp. box | 45 | 24 |
| Corners | 5 | 2 |
| Duels won | 43.8% | 56.2% |
Result the chances deserved: FC Bayern München 93% / 5% / Borussia Dortmund 2% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
FC Bayern München (4-2-3-1): Urbig, Laimer, Upamecano, Kim Min-jae, Davies, Kimmich, Pavlović, Olise, Saibari, Gnabry, Kane.
Borussia Dortmund (4-4-2): Kobel, Gadou, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Svensson, Beier, Bellingham, Veerman, Nmecha, Guirassy, Chukwuemeka.
Dortmund subs: Karetsas & Sabitzer (67', Beier & Chukwuemeka; BVB's report pairs them the other way round; FC Bayern's line-up page has Sabitzer at 68'), Fábio Silva (76', Nmecha; FC Bayern's line-up page has 75'), Ryerson & Inácio (87', Gadou & Bellingham). Unused: Meyer, Bensebaini, Nwaneri, Mané. Dortmund coach: Niko Kovač, who started with a 4-4-2 for the first time since 2008 and switched to a 4-3-3 in the second half (BVB). FotMob and Bundesliga.com list the line-up as a 3-4-2-1. Svensson came in for Ryerson, the only change from the cup win over Bremen (Bundesliga.com).
Cards: Bellingham (6'), Stanišić (53'), Laimer (74'), all yellow (Bundesliga.com).
VAR: Bellingham's goal at 34' was ruled out. BVB, FC Bayern and FotMob give offside against Chukwuemeka; Bundesliga.com's ticker and report cite his collision with Urbig.
Woodwork: Olise (10'; Bundesliga.com's ticker has the post at 8', FC Bayern the bar), Kane's penalty (56', bar; BVB has 57'; given for handball after a corner, when Kane's volley from a tight angle struck Nmecha's arm, Bundesliga.com, FC Bayern), Kane (75', post), Karl (90+4', bar). Goal minutes from FotMob and FC Bayern; Bundesliga.com's report header puts Upamecano's goal at 60'. Attendance 75,024, sold out (BVB).
Key moments, move by move
- Nmecha's pass in midfield is short of Svensson, and Laimer intercepts it (FC Bayern, Bundesliga.com).
- He plays a one-two with Olise and runs at the Dortmund defence (FC Bayern).
- Kobel saves his first shot (Bundesliga.com, BVB).
- The rebound falls back to Laimer, who puts it into the empty net from about eight metres. Bundesliga.com put the chance at 91%.
- Bayern play out from the back, and Schlotterbeck wins the ball from Olise in Bayern's half (BVB, FC Bayern).
- He finds Chukwuemeka, who dribbles into the box (FC Bayern).
- Chukwuemeka picks out Guirassy on the left side of the box (BVB).
- Guirassy takes a touch and shoots low inside Urbig's near post from about 11 metres. Bundesliga.com put the chance at 11%.
- Bayern play a corner short, and Kimmich crosses to the far post (FC Bayern).
- Kane heads it back across the goal (Bundesliga.com, BVB).
- Upamecano turns it in from about six metres. Bundesliga.com put the chance at 96%.
- Dortmund take a corner, and Bayern cannot get it away (BVB).
- Pavlović tries to clear, but Karetsas, on since 67', blocks it (Bundesliga.com, FC Bayern).
- The ball falls to Fábio Silva on the right side of the box (BVB).
- He turns and shoots low with his right foot into the far corner from about 16 metres. Bundesliga.com put the chance at 5%.
Kovač's 4-4-2 held for a half; Bayern went round it and still could not finish
- A surprise from Kovač. Dortmund lined up in a 4-4-2 for the first time since 2008 and switched to a 4-3-3 after the break (BVB). The extra midfielder crowded Kimmich and Pavlović: Bayern had seven shots to Dortmund's six in the first half, and Dortmund won 56% of the duels (BVB, FC Bayern).
- Two forwards lost in seven minutes. Saibari went off at 29' and Gnabry at 31', both injured. Danks sent on two defenders, not Karl: Brown played at No. 10, Stanišić went to left-back and Davies moved up to the left wing (ran.de, Abendzeitung).
- Bayern still made the chances. 23 shots to 12, 18 of them from inside the box, and six clear-cut chances (FC Bayern); 4.48 xG to 0.74 (FotMob). After the break Bayern had 16 shots to six (BVB). FC Bayern credit Laimer and Davies for the movement on the wings; Laimer had five shots from right-back.
- Dortmund scored from Bayern's mistakes. Both goals followed Bayern losing the ball in their own half: Schlotterbeck won it from Olise for the 1–1, and Karetsas blocked Pavlović's clearance for the 2–2. Bundesliga.com put those chances at 11% and 5%. Kane's penalty hit the bar at 56' and his shot hit the post at 75'.
Tactical scenes
Dortmund rarely got into Bayern's box with the ball, but three times Bayern gave it away close to their own goal. Bellingham's 34' goal, ruled out, came after Bayern's passing in their own box; Schlotterbeck won the ball from Olise for the 1–1; and Karetsas blocked Pavlović's clearance for the 2–2.
Evidence: Dortmund scored twice from 0.74 xG (FotMob). Bundesliga.com put the two goals at 11% and 5%, and both followed a Bayern loss of the ball in their own half (BVB, FC Bayern). FotMob match page · Bundesliga.com live ticker · Borussia Dortmund match report · FC Bayern match report (German)
Recreate it in FM26
FC Bayern München · Full-backs high, two holders, Kane dropping · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
Full-backs high, two holders, Kane dropping
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Urbig | Sweeper Keeper | Sweeper Keeper |
| RB | Laimer | Wing-Back | Pressing Full-Back |
| RCB | Upamecano | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Kim Min-jae | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Davies | Wing-Back | Pressing Full-Back |
| RDM | Kimmich | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Screening Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Pavlović | Half-Back | Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Olise | Wide Playmaker | Winger |
| AM | Saibari | Second Striker | Tracking Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Gnabry | Inside Forward | Tracking Winger |
| ST | Kane | Deep-Lying Forward | Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Attacking WidthWider
- Passing DirectnessShorter
- Attacking TransitionCounter-Attack
- Build-Up StrategyPlay Through Press
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Defensive TransitionCounter-Press
- Defensive LineHigher
The idea: Two Wing-Backs who push on and a Deep-Lying Forward who drops, with a Deep-Lying Playmaker and a Half-Back behind them. You need full-backs who can finish moves, like Laimer, and calm passers at the base, because a deep block waits for the ball you lose in your own half.
What FM26 can't copy: FM26 can't reproduce two forwards injured within seven minutes, a missed penalty or a full-back playing at No. 10 out of necessity.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Karl on at 29' (for Saibari, not Brown), Bischof on at 75' (for Pavlović). Keep the shape and the press: they made more than four goals' worth of chances. Put Karl on at the first injury instead of a defender, and freshen the midfield late, when Dortmund's chances came from Bayern losing the ball. It moves FC Bayern München's win chance from 93% to 95% (xG 4.48–0.74 becomes 4.68–0.64). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer FC Bayern München needed
Lennart Karl
Saibari's injury left the No. 10 role to Brown, a full-back. Karl had started there in the two previous games, and he hit the bar within ten minutes of coming on. Over an hour he gives Kane a passer and a runner between Dortmund's lines.
Pedri
Dortmund's goals came from Bayern losing the ball in their own half against two pressing strikers. A midfielder who completes 92% of his passes (FotMob) and takes the ball under pressure gives the build-up a safe outlet, and still finds the pass forward.
What the analysts said
“It's mixed feeling. We're very pleased with our performance, especially in the second half.”Aaron Danks, Bayern assistant coach, in charge on the day (Goal)
“Dortmund have a good defensive balance, but I think we found lots of ways today to create chances.”Aaron Danks (Goal)
“I could have been out there for another hour, and the ball wouldn't have hit the back of the net!”Harry Kane (FotMob)
“At the end of the day, we need to take the point, even though we obviously should've won.”Joshua Kimmich (FotMob)
“We can live with the draw very, very well.”Niko Kovač, Dortmund coach (Borussia Dortmund website)
“Points in Munich aren't a given – quite the opposite.”Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund website)
Bayern made more than four goals' worth of chances and still only drew the Klassiker.
What's happening. Bayern 2–2 Dortmund. Laimer and Upamecano twice gave Bayern the lead; Guirassy and the substitute Fábio Silva twice levelled, the second a minute from time. Kane hit the bar with a penalty. Bayern lost Saibari and Gnabry to injury inside the first half hour, and Olise went off late with a knee problem. The two sides stay level on 18 points at the top.
How it works. Kovač's 4-4-2 put an extra man in midfield and shut the middle. Bayern went round it: Laimer pushed on from right-back and Davies attacked from the left once he moved up a line. They also won the ball in midfield for the opener. The cost showed at the other end. Each time Bayern lost the ball in their own half, Dortmund were close to goal, and that is where both of their goals came from.
What the shots say. By FotMob's numbers Bayern made more than four goals' worth of chances and allowed under one. Dortmund scored from two low-probability chances. One reading: this was a win in everything but the score, taken away by the woodwork and Kobel. The other: it is Bayern's third league draw, and losing the ball near their own goal is becoming a habit, not bad luck.