“Thanks for the adventure – now go have a new one!”– Ellie Fredricksen, Up
After officially winning the Bundesliga title last weekend, Bayern Munich returned to the Allianz Arena to say goodbye to Thomas Müller in his final home game. The pregame and postgame festivities were focused solely on Thomas Müller, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat all night, and his incredible legacy with the Rekordmeister.
The game itself felt like a formality as Bayern scored early and played at a slower pace for most of the match. Bayern held on for a 2-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach to move within six goals of tying the record for most goals in a Bundesliga season, held by the 1971/72 Bayern squad.
Jersey Swap: Franck Honorat
Honorat repeatedly took advantage of Raphaël Guerreiro pressing high up the left flank, beating a reactive Leon Goretzka to the corner flag and sending in effective crosses. Honorat had five key passes tonight, second only to Michael Olise (six). Honorat will be disappointed to end his two-game scoring streak but Gerardo Seoane will be very pleased with the French winger’s recent form.
Bonus fact (via @iMiaSanMia): No current active Bundesliga player has won more games against Bayern than Gladbach’s Nico Elvedi (7).
Der Kaiser: Manuel Neuer
It felt appropriate that Neuer returned from his two-month injury spell to play with Müller in his final home match, even if Neuer didn’t concede the captain’s armband. Neuer was in fantastic form with seven saves, 2.25 goals prevented and his 12th clean sheet of the Bundesliga campaign.
Fußballgott: Leroy Sané
Sané entered the match in the 63rd minute and immediately changed the flow of the game. Sané’s assist to Michael Olise in the 90th minute was truly exceptional and he also nearly scored on a breakaway in stoppage time.
Sané remains an enigma and that will likely be the reason Bayern lets him leave on a free transfer this summer. Within the same match, he can produce singular movements and then become a ghost.
Sané’s time at Bayern will still be considered a success, but he always left fans demanding more from him.
Der Bomber: Michael Olise
Olise was the primary creative threat for Bayern in the final third. Olise will only be credited with an assist on the first goal, scored by Harry Kane. However, Olise’s individual effort built the entire sequence, and without Kane’s flick, it probably would have ended up in the back of the net anyway.
In the 90th minute, Olise’s calm finish put the exclamation point on the evening. Olise has exceeded every expectation this season and will be a crucial member of Bayern’s core for the rest of the decade.
Meister of the Match Century: Thomas Müller
The legend has played his final match at the Allianz Arena.
Müller didn’t do anything spectacular today while Bayern fans sat on the edge of their seats, remembering all the wonderful memories that Müller delivered over the years and hoping for just one more moment of brilliance.
In the 84th minute, Müller exited the pitch to a standing ovation from his supporters and teammates. It wasn’t as thrilling as the 2019 sendoff for Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben but it meant so much more.
Müller might have been the least effective Bayern player on the pitch today but no one has given more to the club over the last 25 years. Müller leaves the club with the German record of 750 appearances for a single club.
