FC Bayern will remain in success mode in the new year – thanks to a man who is supposed to have no future in Munich for a long time. Leon Goretzka led the first half of the season as a double goalscorer to 3:2 (2:1) against Bayern's favorite home opponent VfL Wolfsburg. With the somewhat shaky victory at the end, the Munich team rounded off a perfect nine-point week in the Bundesliga – and remain on course for the championship.
Goretzka first scored with his right foot (20th) and later with his head (62nd). Michael Olise was successful (39th). The eye-catching Frenchman also curled the free kick precisely onto Goretzka's forehead to make it 3-1. Another hit from Joshua Kimmich with the head, shoulder and possibly also the upper arm was conceded by the video assistant after a long review (45th + 5th).
The Wolfsburg team, who remained winless in their 28th attempt in Munich, put up a fight but were unable to consistently stop the Munich goal express. Mohammed Amoura appeared offensively twice: the Algerian scored to make it 1-1 (25th) and reduce the score to 2-3 (88th).
Sané hits the crossbar
At the start of the game it looked as if Bayern could seamlessly build on their 5-0 win against TSG Hoffenheim. Leroy Sané, a two-time goalscorer on Wednesday evening, immediately hit the crossbar (3rd). And Harry Kane was denied by VfL goalkeeper Kamil Grabara (4th). But after that, Bayern acted technically poorly at times against Wolfsburg, who defended compactly.
Bayern's young star Jamal Musiala sat on the bench again until the 75th minute. “He simply had no preparation, it doesn’t work right from the start,” explained coach Vincent Kompany before kick-off. After an illness at the beginning of the year, the national player's route was: “No risk.”
A man who actually no longer has any prospects in Munich is now taking advantage of the present, in which he is back on the pitch more regularly. Goretzka paved the way for Bayern's victory with his second and third goals of the season.
Following a pass from Kimmich, the 29-year-old had plenty of space in front of him, set off energetically with the ball at his feet and scored with a well-placed low shot. He then cheered energetically in front of the fan curve. The header goal crowned his strong performance.
Defensive negligence after a Wolfsburg free kick led to Wolfsburg quickly equalizing 1-1, but not to a turning point in the game. The Frenchman Olise, who was called up in Musiala's position, shot through the legs of VfL defender Denis Vavro to make it 2-1; Goalkeeper Grabara reacted unhappily. After Bayern missed a few top chances, Amoura's second goal in the final phase made things even more exciting.
VfL Bochum – RB Leipzig 3:3 (0:3)
RB Leipzig spectacularly squandered a three-goal lead at VfL Bochum and suffered the next low blow in the fight for the Champions League places. Three days after the 1:2 defeat in Stuttgart, coach Marco Rose's team only managed a 3:3 (3:0) draw at the Revierclub. At VfL, Myron Boadu was crowned man of the day with a hat trick.
The Saxons, who went on the offensive with major personnel concerns, initially compensated for their notable losses, but then collapsed. The Bochum team, who were almost hopeless weeks ago, showed impressive comeback qualities. Staying in the Bundesliga is once again a realistic goal.
In front of 24,158 spectators in the Ruhrstadion, Willi Orban (10th minute), Antonio Nusa (13th) and Christoph Baumgartner (22nd) gave Leipzig a seemingly reassuring lead. However, Boadu (48th/56th/61st/foul penalty) ensured the frenetically celebrated equalizer.
VfB Stuttgart – SC Freiburg 4:0 (3:0)
Runner-up VfB Stuttgart is increasingly underlining its renewed Champions League ambitions and is continuing its successful start to the year. In the one-sided first game of the second half of the Bundesliga, the Swabians celebrated an easy 4-0 (3-0) against the disappointing SC Freiburg. VfB collected the maximum possible nine points from the first three competitive games in 2025 and can look forward to the important premier class appearance on Tuesday in Bratislava with optimism.
-Anthony Rouault (3rd minute), Ermedin Demirovic (17th) and Nick Woltemade (45th+4) gave the fans a party atmosphere. With their goals they decided the prestigious duel in the first half. Substitute Deniz Undav scored the final score (80th). In the fight for the European Cup places, VfB distanced itself from its national rivals by five points in the table and climbed to fourth place.
For the defensively vulnerable and offensively harmless Freiburgers, the away frustration among the top teams continues. The performance was anything but an encouragement for the task against FC Bayern next Saturday.
Holstein Kiel – TSG Hoffenheim 1:3 (0:2)
Holstein Kiel has lost the basement duel in the Bundesliga. Four days after the surprising triumph against Borussia Dortmund, the promoted team lost 1:3 (0:2) to the crisis club 1899 Hoffenheim in their own stadium.
In the event of another defeat, Hoffenheim could even have been pushed into a direct relegation zone by Kiel. But that was prevented on Saturday by goals from Adam Hlozek (26th/56th minute) and Andrej Kramaric (45th+1). Ex-Hoffenheim player Andu Kelati only reduced the score to 1:3 in the 84th minute.
The Croatian international Kramaric was still raging about the situation in Hoffenheim on Wednesday after the 5-0 defeat at FC Bayern Munich: “I feel a lot of shit in the club. We invested so much money for nothing.” The 33-year-old’s sweeping blow didn’t come by chance. Apart from the closeness in the table in the relegation battle, there is not much that connects Holstein and Hoffenheim.
Meanwhile, referee Felix Brych had to be replaced injured. The 49-year-old FIFA referee from Munich pointed to his left calf in the 66th minute and left the field. After a four-minute break, the game continued under the direction of his assistant Sven Jablonski. Brych is the referee with the most Bundesliga appearances.
FC Heidenheim – St. Pauli 0:2 (0:1)
FC St. Pauli gained a little breathing room in the relegation battle of the Bundesliga with a win against a direct competitor, but had to tremble for a long time. The Hamburg team won 2-0 (1-0) at the start of the second half of the season and thus moved away from 1. FC Heidenheim. It was the first sense of success for coach Alexander Blessin's strong away team this calendar year after two previous defeats.
Heidenheim, however, was unable to build on its strong start to the year. After the success against 1. FC Union Berlin (2:0) and the spectacular last-minute draw at Werder Bremen (3:3), the hosts had to accept a setback in terms of staying in the league and fell back to 16th place in the relegation relegation zone.
The recently highly praised Heidenheim winter newcomer Frans Krätzig, who knocked his opponent to the ground in the penalty area, initiated the defeat. Johannes Eggestein safely converted the penalty in front of 15,000 spectators (25th) and Morgan Guilavogui made the decision in stoppage time (90th +2). Immediately beforehand, FCH had been denied their supposed equalizer due to an offside position.
dpa/rc
