Daily Schmankerl: The aftermath of Bayern Munich vs. VfL Bochum; Liverpool, Arsenal battling for Kingsley Coman?; Ermedin Demirović, Gio Reyna, Xabi Alonso on the move?; and MORE!

The red card was cheap and it affected the game…

Die Folgen: Bayern’s 3-2 loss tor Bochum (Bavarian Football Works)

Things were moving quite nicely for Bayern Munich until an untimely red card wrecked the match.

Questionable…debatable…wrong…those were all some of the things said about the call, but in the end it does not matter. VfL Bochum picked up three points and took advantage of the situation.

Aside of the red card, Bayern Munich and its coach, Vincent Kompany, did really well and approached things the right way. Let’s get into all of that and more — here are some quick hitters on the match:

• As always, let’s begin with the starting XI:

• Ah, the sweet smell of rotation in the morning. With a date against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League looming, Kompany opted to rest many of his starters. As someone who has been calling for this all season, it felt good to see the manager embrace using the talent he has on his roster. The only players who probably could start on Tuesday were Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sané, though it seems like Kingsley Coman and Michael Olise are targeted to start at wing vs. Die Werkself.
• First and foremost, those 125th Anniversary kits looked really cool on-screen.
• As expected, the performance was choppy to start. With so much change, that was to be expected. In the 14th minute, though, things could break for Bayern Munich. Hiroki Itō sent a through ball to Serge Gnabry, who was promptly taken down in the box. There was no penalty, though, as Raphaël Guerreiro quickly pounced on the ball and fired a shot into the net for a 1-0 lead.
• Guerreiro has not had a great season defensively, but he can still play in the attack…that much is clear.
• Eric Dier almost made 2-0 in the 18th minute, but VfL Bochum goalkeeper Timo Horn made a big stop.
• In the 20th minute, VfL Bochum’s Jakov Medić hauled down Sané in the box for a penalty, which Gnabry missed. The winger hit the post, but it was curious why Thomas Müller did not take the penalty. The shame of it was that Horn had guessed the wrong way, so Gnabry had just about the entire net to aim at. This would end up being a pretty massive play.
• Guerreiro did it again in the 28th minute when Itō sent a ball across the pitch, which found Müller, who headed the ball across the box to Guerreiro for a header goal.
• Medić, the G.O.A.T. from earlier hit a G.O.A.T. shot after a ball deflected off Müller during a VfL Bochum corner. Just like that, it was 2-1 in the 31st minute. There was no way Jonas Urbig was stopping that.
• Honestly, Urbig was good. He was calm, composed, and looked the part.
• In the 38th minute, it looked like Gnabry might have made it 3-1, but he was offside. Disaster of a first half for him. In a game where he should have been a major X factor, he was more of a detriment, which is…sad. We all remember when Gnabry was dangerous and handful for the opposition, but he appears to be battling himself these days.
• Not sure how Bayern Munich can look at Eric Dier and not want him back — good teammate, works hard, accepts his role, performs when called upon, low-end contract. It makes no sense.
• Based on what we have seen from them in their injury-plagued seasons, the reality might be that Sacha Boey and João Palhinha are JAGs (Just a Guy). Not bad players, but not worth what Bayern paid for them. To think the transfer fees for them total more than €80 million…yikes.
• In the 42nd minute, Palhinha picked up his now-infamous red card on a play that did not really appear to warrant a red card. It was a hasty decision and maybe even a wrong decision. This might have been a case where Palhinha’s rugged reputation preceded him.
• No matter how you feel about the validity of the red card, Palhinha put Bayern Munich in a precarious position that was unnecessary.
• In the 51st minute, VfL Bochum would make Bayern Munich pay. Ibrahima Sissoko snuck in from behind Boey during a cross and scored a header to make it 2-2.
• Worse, Guerreiro missed a relatively easy chance to make it 3-2 in the 58th minute.
• In the 63rd minute, the red card situation likely forced Kompany’s hand to try and get three points as he brought in Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise, and Konrad Laimer. It would have been great to not have to do that.
• Matúš Bero gave VfL Bochum a 3-2 lead in the 71st minute — which pretty much was a nail in the coffin for the match.
• Josip Stanišić did not look fully comfortable at center-back and was slow to react at times. The defender lost possession 16 times, which is way too much for a center-back. While he was not the reason Bayern Munich lost by any means, he probably would admit he could have done better.
• Overall, Kompany did the right thing — and was felled by a very questionable red card to Palhinha. The Portuguese star probably should have avoided a touchy play like that, but he does have a reputation for being a tad reckless. The rotation was a good idea and was working well, but even a bottom of the table Bundesliga side like VfL Bochum can take down a giant like Bayern Munich using a red card as a slingshot. Still, VfL Bochum deserves credit. They fought, they never wavered, and they grabbed three points that could help keep them up in Germany’s top flight. As for Bayern Munich, it would be hard to have harsh feelings after this one. The game shifted on a tough call and likely would have gone in the other direction if things had stayed 11v11. Such is life in the big leagues…

If you missed our Initial Analysis, Match Awards, Observations, and Postgame Podcast give them a look or a listen:

Demirović looking for transfer (@Plettigoal)

Ermedin Demirović had high hopes when he joined VfB Stuttgart from FC Augsburg. Things have not gone as planned, however, and Demirović is unhappy with his limited role:

⚪️ Ermedin #Demirovic is currently dissatisfied with his situation at #VfB Stuttgart. The 26-y/o forward has recently been used only as a substitute.

A summer move is not ruled out, provided the right offers come in. He has a contract until 2028, but no final decision has been made yet. The situation is one to watch.

Demirović is the kind of one-year, stop-gap player that would look good behind Harry Kane at Bayern Munich, but it is clear that a back-up role is not in the card for the 26-year-old.

Gunners, LFC could be serious on Coman (Anfield Index)

Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman is reportedly planning to leave the club this summer, with Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal both showing interest. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Coman “plans to leave FC Bayern in the summer.” The club is open to facilitating his departure, with Plettenberg adding that Bayern “would also grant him permission for a transfer.”

Liverpool have made an enquiry regarding Coman’s availability, but at this stage, there has been no official approach. The Reds have previously done business with Bayern, having signed Ryan Gravenberch from the German side last summer. With a potential need to reinforce their attack, Coman could emerge as a strong option.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have been labelled “hot suitors” for Coman, according to reports. Mikel Arteta’s side are in the market for a winger who can provide quality and competition in wide areas, and Coman’s versatility would certainly suit their style of play. However, any Premier League move may depend on whether the player is willing to resist interest from elsewhere.

The big question is really on how much these clubs value Coman. Bayern Munich will — likely — not try to unload for a cheap fee. Some rumors indicate that Bayern Munich wants as much as 45 million for Coman, which could be too much for some clubs to stomach, given his list of injuries, big salary, and spotty performances over the years.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 4, Episode 34 (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich is coming off a good week, but it was not without absorbing some damage.

Let’s talk about everything going on at the moment on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:

• We blew right past our 1,000th episode — which was our Postgame Show after Bayern Munich’s win over Bayer Leverkusen. We’ll explain why!
• Bayern Munich’s effort against Bayer Leverkusen was exactly what we have all been waiting — and wanting — to see. Now…the Bavarians must avoid a letdown.
• Manuel Neuer getting hurt while celebrating is something all of us old heads can relate to.
• Joshua Kimmich’s situation is nearing its end. If he re-ups, Bayern Munich will have a plethora of good options in the midfield for next season.

Kovač trusts Reyna, but summer move not ruled out (@Plettigoal)

For many reasons, Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna has fallen out of favor in the public eye and within BVB, so the potential of a transfer this summer is not shocking:

⚫️ Niko Kovac is currently relying more on Giovanni #Reyna and actively working on his development. #BVB

However, a summer move remains highly likely. Reyna has market interest from Spain, Italy, and France. His contract runs until 2026, with a valuation of €10-15m.

Alonso on the move this summer? (Get German Football News)

Xabi Alonso could be kicking around the idea of leaving Bayer Leverkusen for a job with Real Madrid:

The Athletic reports that there have been initial talks between representatives of Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid over replacing Carlo Ancelotti in the summer.

Currently, there is a possibility that Alonso will be in charge at the Bernabeu in the summer, but that depends on the future of Carlo Ancelotti. If the Italian wins the Champions League or LaLiga this season, it is hard to imagine him being sacked in the summer, meaning Alonso would not be in charge.

However, Alonso has long been highlighted as Ancelotti’s successor at Madrid, which is part of the reason he turned down Bayern Munich and Liverpool last year.

Ekitike drawing a lot of interest (ESPN)

It is looking more and more like Hugo Ekitike could be the next star to leave Eintracht Frankfurt. Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC and West Ham United are all reportedly interested:

Arsenal, Liverpool, and West Ham United are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, reports Foot Mercato. The three Premier League sides are reported to have “positioned themselves” for the 22-year-old, and it is believed that the Bundesliga side could be open to parting ways with him in the summer. Recent reports have indicated that an offer worth €80 million would be required to get a deal over the line.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show: Bayern Munich 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen (Champions League)

Bayern Munich hosted Bayer Leverkusen in a much-anticipated Champions League tilt that had fans of both squads worked up with excitement.

An early Harry Kane goal set the tone for the home side and a key save from Manuel Neuer just minutes later made it known that Bayern Munich was about to embark on a dominant showing. The Bavarians ultimately won 3-0 and were sensational throughout the game.

Let’s talk about how it all went down and more on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show. This is what we have on tap:

• A look at the starting XI.
• A rundown of the scoring and substitutions.
• Some final thoughts and takeaways on the match.