First Mainz coach Bo Svensson sees the red card, then a joker marks the end: FC Bayern breaks out of the restart rut with attacking strength and wins for the first time this year after three draws. In the DFB Cup round of 16, a new signing from Munich sets the tone.
The earnings crisis is over, the star newcomer is already in the middle of it: Bayern Munich shot the league frustration out of their souls when Joao Cancelo made his debut in the DFB Cup. The record champions, who were unusually weak recently, withstood the pressure in the 4-0 (3-0) win at FSV Mainz 05 and, after a long and convincing performance, made it into the quarter-finals for the first time in three years.
“The win was important, as was the way we won. It’s fun to win,” said Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich on Sky. His team “showed from the start that we definitely wanted to leave the pitch as winners.”
The Bundesliga stumbling start was followed at the fourth attempt by the first win of the year – initiated by Cancelo. The Portuguese, who Bayern had loaned out from Manchester City a few hours before the end of the transfer, prepared Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting for the lead (17′). “He has great quality, you could see that,” emphasized Kimmich.
Jamal Musiala (30′), Leroy Sané (44′) and Alphonso Davies (83′) increased and rewarded coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team for their best performance since the winter break. Mainz coach Bo Svensson (81st) saw the red card in the closing stages, shortly afterwards defender Alexander Hack (86th) had to leave the field with a yellow card.
Just one day after his arrival, Cancelo was allowed to play right from the start – as a right winger. Compared to the draw against Frankfurt (1:1), Nagelsmann switched to a back three, the new hopeful played a more offensive role, he looked for depth, created space and was used again and again by his teammates. Thomas Müller reached another milestone in the match: the 33-year-old played his 63rd game in the DFB Cup for FC Bayern, tying the club record with former goalkeeper Sepp Maier.
Nagelsmann emphasized before the game that it was “very important to knock over the buck and get on a run for the really big weeks”. Accordingly, Bayern started in the sold-out Mainz Arena in a dominant manner and again and again with speed forward. First Kingsley Coman failed to FSV goalkeeper Finn Dahmen (10th), then Cancelo came into focus and immediately showed what they were hoping for from him in Munich. His first cross in Bayern dress landed right at Choupo-Moting, who converted coldly.
The leadership gave the record champions additional security and confidence after difficult weeks. Against the overwhelmed Mainz, where three-goal striker Karim Onisiwo was missing in the starting XI, Thomas Müller and Co. had an easy game for long stretches. Musiala raised after a remarkable attack, shortly afterwards Sané benefited from Choupo-Moting’s artistic preparatory work. Bayern were hardly in danger, and they were also unlucky that Mainz’s Silvan Widmer was not sent off with a yellow card before the break.
In front of the eyes of national coach Hansi Flick and the new DFB sports director Rudi Völler, the Munich team shifted down a gear in the second round. The midfield around Joshua Kimmich gave Mainz more freedom, but apart from the chance from Anthony Caci (60th), FCB didn’t allow much. Cancelo’s debut was over after 71 minutes. Bayern remained dangerous on the counter, but the crucial pass was often missing.
