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Robert Lewandowski’s first half goal on his return to Dortmund was enough to send Bayern 10 points clear at the top of the table. The home side started the game brightly, but were unable to make their aggression count for a goal.Instead, it was the returning striker, who scored with a perfectly-timed header to secure Bayern’s 10th away win of the season, that got the only goal of the game. The result also leaves Dortmund, 15 points behind Bayer Leverkusen, who hold the final Champions League spot and five points behind Augsburg, who hold the final European place. Here are the major talking points from the game:
#1 Dortmund\'s season encapsulated in 90 minutes
If you hadn't seen Dortmund play so far this season and wanted to know why they are in the bottom half of the league, then the game against Bayern highlighted it perfectly. For it was a microcosm of how things had panned out for them over the season. It was a case of a bright start, not scoring a goal when they were on top, missing crucial chances and in the end being carved open by a mistake at a critical juncture in the game.
Against a Bayern side who were reeling from their first home defeat of the season, Dortmund started well, pressed the visitors high up the pitch and stopped them from playing in the opening quarter of the game. But from then onwards, it was all downhill. A mistake from their best defender, Mats Hummels cost them the opening goal, their best attacker, Marco Reus missed a golden opportunity to level the game and that was the difference in an otherwise tight game.
#2 Far from a classic
A clash between a side that is running away with the league and a side that has only just managed to stay away from a relegation dogfight was never going to be a classic. But when those two sides are Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, two sides who have shared the last five league titles between them, then you certainly expect something more.
Unfortunately, those who tuned in to see plenty of goalmouth action, entertainment and attacking football, were left disappointed. Although both sides enjoyed equal amounts of possession, the home side never really looked like scoring. In fact, neither did Bayern, who seemed to be on cruise control and determined to simply sit back, absorb pressure and pick Dortmund off, when they felt like it. The game might have been billed “Der Klassiker”, but it was far from a classic.
#3 Business as usual for Bayern
If there ever was an opportunity for the title race in German top-flight to heat up, then this was it. The Bavarians had lost for the first time at home, in their last league game and were travelling to the home of their fierce rivals, who were unbeaten in their last seven league games. The visitors were also without the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
But, even without two of their key attackers and a couple of their midfielders, Bayern still proved to be too good for a Dortmund side, who were left to wonder what could have been. Pep Guardiola's men were in complete control of the game and although they didn't create too many chances, you had a feeling that they could have, if they wanted to.
#4 Dortmund desperately need a plan B
Albert Einstein once said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That saying is certainly applicable for Dortmund and the way in which they seem to approach a game. Jurgen Klopp's side only know one way of playing and when that way doesn't work out, they seem to be unable to do it any other way. No matter how good you are, you always need a plan B in football, because you never know what might happen.
Given that Dortmund have been far from great this season, it would have been, as good a time as any to try to develop another approach to the game. At least on the evidence of their performance against Bayern, it looks as though they are incapable of doing it.
#5 Lewandowksi is let off, while Gotze isn\'t so lucky
Even with Dortmund's recent upturn in form, it was still too much to expect them to put up a big fight against a side that had lost just twice all season long. But if there was one interesting aspect of this game that many were looking forward to, it was the reception the two Dortmund old boys were going to get. While Robert Lewandowski scored and didn't celebrate, the reception he got was almost incomparable to the one that Mario Gotze got every time he touched the ball.
Even though the club miss the Polish striker more and it was he who got the decisive goal, it was Gotze who was at the centre of the fans' boos and whistles from the moment he started to warm up. The reception of both players only goes on to show how fickle-minded fans are and at times, irrational too.
