Half a year ago the world was still in perfect order in bavaria. The German national team was still world champion and FC Bayern München once again became the German champion.
That Bayern München became "Deutscher Meister" already seemed to be something like a custom since they have dominated the Bundesliga quite clearly in the last years and became German champion the last six times in a row. The real targets were now far beyond the horizon: Champions League winner! Nothing should count below that now.
The real targets were now far beyond the horizon: Champions League winner! Nothing should count below that now.
But the fact that Bayern could only look upon this self-imposed goal and often failed gloriously definitely has caused some deep impact.
This season too, FC Bayern wanted to set the course for the national championship as fast as possible in order to be able to concentrate on its international obligations. The top of the highest German league hasn't been really exciting in recent years. For some time some teams were still able to keep up a bit, but at the end of the winter it was clear to everyone that the old champion would be the new champion, and that the end of the table had to be serve for entertainment once again.
But then all of a sudden it was going to be different. Probably all this could already been foreseen. The debacle at this year's soccer world championship in Russia must have also had an influence on the Bayern players involved and thrown them completely out of their usual (victory) rhythm.
In the Bundesliga the suddenly experienced unusual defeats and point losses and the matches in the Champions League were not really convincing either. The new coach Kovac seems not to have managed to form a really committed team with an irresistible hunger for victory.
The best example was last Saturday's home game against Fortuna Düsseldorf. On paper a very easy matter, that game against the second last of the Bundesliga should be just a formality.
And actually everything had started so well, even if the guests from Düsseldorf began quite offensively, Bayern quickly took the lead with goals from Süle and Müller. Yes, Müller didn't forget how to score goals either!
Even when Dodi Lukebakio (remember the name) scored for Düsseldorf, Bayerns Müller ( !! ) again had the right answer and München was leading again with two goals.
But that doesn't seem to have really provided any stability for their game, even if we should actually believe that the German champion may not give a 2 goals lead out of his hand when playing against the second last of the Bundesliga.
But there was that guy Lukebakio, a Belgian player, who Düsseldorf had just borrowed from the English team Watford F.C. this season.
He wasn't that obvious in the previos games so far, but it looked he had decided that this Saturday should be his day.
In the 77 minute he shortened the gap to just one goal and made the game exciting again. Bayern then could save the lead until the end of the regular playing time, but that was not the end, the Lukebakio had set himself the goal to really irritate the German champion today.
When everyone had come to terms with the host's victory and the fans were celebrating the end of the game, Lukebakio had his third big appearance. The meanwhile 93 minute had begun and everything waited actually only for the referee to blow the whistle. But the 21-year-old Belgian, who hadn't scored so many goals in his career so far, shocked the reigning champions with his third goal after a counter-attack, giving them the surprising equaliser.
What a performance in München's Allianz Arena. The crowd's jaws were probably down and nobody was able to realize what just happened. But the game was over and FC Bayern had to let go another two points. And that versus the second last from Düsseldorf.
But that's the way times are. The Bundesliga wind is blowing strong for the German record champion and also internationally they have to dress warm if they want to survive a few more rounds in the Champions Leagues.
The national competitors have caught up and watched this game very closely. Even though in the Bavarian capital a few people were knocked off the beer benches and many heads were banging on the beer tables, in the rest of the country this result was more likely to have provided a good portion of Schadenfreude. If Bayern loses, for most fans in Germany the football world is nearly in order, no matter how the own team may have played.
Where some time ago people spoke about the Bayern-Luck, when the record champion from Munich scored the decisive goal once again just shortly before the end or in injury time, now everyone is more likely to speak of the Bayern-mutt, who despite a comfortable two 2-goal lead weren't able to bring home this easy-looking victory.
One side's suffering is another's joy! And on both scenarios many fans in the whole country will have had quite some drinks after this game.
Because after that the world may look quite different.
Prosit !!
There are still many matches left and the season is not yet lost at all. Next week, next matches, next chance to do it right!
頑張ってください Ganbatte kudasai!
(Japanese cheering, which can be translated like, „Hold on“ or „Do your best“)
This is my entry to Pete's Happy Moan-day competition this week. I hope everyone has fun writing and reading some great articles and meanwhile being able to not take everything too serious.
Have a great day and stay tuned for the next round of Scorum Patronage, which will open nominations again tomorrow.
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