Three times Serge Gnabry, once Jamal Musiala and once Leon Goretzka. Bayern Munich’s national soccer players are warming up for the World Cup in Qatar. Particularly noteworthy: Gnabry’s gala, who had become a problem child in the past few weeks.
Hansi Flick hasn’t always had it easy in the past few days. Shortly before the nomination of his final World Cup squad this Thursday, a lot of bad news fluttered in. While the national coach’s worries about captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer should now have settled and he can also look positively at Thomas Müller’s recovery, he has to do without Timo Werner. And probably also on the Dortmund eternity unlucky Marco Reus. Flick will have registered what happened in Munich on Tuesday evening all the more relaxed and satisfied.
There, FC Bayern had officially dismantled the newly promoted Werder Bremen 6: 1 (4: 1). And the most conspicuous man in the record champions was Serge Gnabry. In the national team, the winger for the World Cup in Qatar is planned as a permanent fixture, but in recent weeks there have been increasing doubts as to whether he would be able to fill the envisaged role. Because the 27-year-old was in a veritable low form. He was hardly recognizable both in his club’s jersey and in the DFB dress. The man who could run so fast, dribble so well and shoot so beautifully was a man who lacked any confidence.
But things have changed. And the game against Bremen was the massive explosion after the long road back to a strong constitution. Gnabry contributed three goals to victory. A flick to make it 2-1 (22nd) started a furious six minutes for the record champions. In which he put from 1: 1 to 4: 1. After the winger’s goal, Joshua Kimmich sent his midfield buddy Leon Goretzka – 3:1. And finally, Leroy Sané, who came on for the injured Sadio Mané, made the preliminary decision after a through pass from the in-form Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting for Gnabry. Later he fails to lob Bremen’s keeper Jiri Pavlenka (58′) before the outstanding man of the evening and Joker Tel scored the final score.
To complete the list of scorers and non-scorers: Germany’s super talent Jamal Musiala scored to make it 1-0 after six minutes. Anthony Jung (10th) equalized for Werder to make it 1-1. Choupo-Moting failed with a penalty kick on Bremen goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka (17th), after seven games with nine goals the nine-man’s spectacular goal series was broken.
But the topic of the evening was Gnabry. And his resurrection in time for the Qatar tournament: “I’m also happy for the DFB. I think Serge is an important player for Hansi,” said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann. “I hope that he can take this flow with him to the game at Schalke and then of course to the World Cup,” said the Munich coach. “He believes in himself.” That wasn’t always the case lately. As Nagelsmann then let it be known. “I can tell him openly what I like and what I don’t like. He improved a lot on what I told him,” said the coach in praise of his highly talented winger. “Then he gets more action. He’s an exceptionally good footballer, very two-footed, has a good goal threat and is very calm, you could see that very well with his third goal.”
Nagelsmann confessed that he thinks “extremely” of his attacker. “He once had a phase where he wasn’t quite 100 percent. Now he’s back.” Bayern and national team colleague Leon Goretzka said after Gnabry’s hat-trick: “Serge is a very dangerous player, no matter where he is on the pitch.” Hansi Flick likes that. Definitely.
