Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga season opener against Vfl Wolfsburg was truly a roller-coaster ride: Ups, downs and a whole lot of screaming.
Nonetheless, Vincent Kompany’s Bayern side had just enough to pick up their first victory of the new season.
Jersey Swap: Lovro Majer
After a very quiet first half from Wolfsburg’s third most expensive transfer of all time, things were not looking promising for the 26-year-old Croatian midfielder.
Ten minutes into the second half, Majer would find himself two goals to the good, giving Wolfsburg a 2-1 lead in the process. Granted, Majer’s two goals may as well have been wrapped up and tied with a bow, alongside a card reading “with love from the Bayern defence”, but goals are goals and Wolfsburg’s number 19 ended the day with two.
Der Kaiser: No one
In a truly atrocious defensive display riddled with individual mistakes all across the backline, no Bayern Munich defender deserves this award.
Sacha Boey would have been a shoo-in for this award after the first half. The Frenchman did well to beat Wolfsburg’s Jakub Kamiński down the right flank to tee up Jamal Musiala’s 19th minute tap-in. However, come the beginning of the second half, Boey gave away a penalty and set the tone for a chaotic final 45.
The less said about Kim Min-jae the better.
Fußballgott: Aleksandar Pavlović
The 20-year-old youth academy graduate remains a silver lining in the midst of a disorderly Bayern Munich display.
Pavlović had a neat game in possession, completing 64 of his 67 passes. The youngster proved his effectiveness not only on the ball but off the ball as well, winning five out of five ground duels throughout the course of the 90.
It’s fairly obvious at this point, but Bayern certainly have a talent on their hands.
Der Bomber: Jamal Musiala
Jamal Musiala picked right up where he left off from the 2024 UEFA Euros making darting runs, beautiful dribbling and goal to tie it all up. The Golden Boy award nominee certainly put his best foot forward in Bayern’s Bundesliga opener.
Musiala could have easily walked away with another goal had it not been for Kamal Grabara’s face and some quick reflexes.
Touch wood, Musiala is in for a big 2024/25 campaign with Bayern.
Meister of the Match: Thomas Müller
It might seem criminal to not give this award to Jamal Musiala, but on the flip-side, Thomas Müller’s aura was enough to swing a game on a knife’s edge into Bayern’s favor and that deserves the highest praise.
Coming off the bench just before a 65th minute corner, Müller made an instantaneous impact by causing trouble for the Wolfsburg’s defenders, ultimately resulting in a Kamiński own-goal to bring Bayern level at 2-2.
In the 82nd minute, the 34-year-old veteran did well to hold off a strong challenge, linking play to Harry Kane who turned his man, spread a pas to Serge Gnabry who managed to put Bayern 3-2 up.
In basic terms, that comeback does not happen without Thomas Müller’s impact.
Radio Müller continues to prove what he’s proved to every manager who decided to leave him on the bench: Don’t leave him on the bench.
