Bayern Munich, the defending champions, suffered their initial Bundesliga defeat of the season, enduring a thrashing at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Eintracht Frankfurt raced to a 3-0 lead after just 36 minutes at Deutsche Bank Park, courtesy of goals from Omar Marmoush, Eric Ebimbe, and Hugo Larsson.
After Joshua Kimmich scored to pull one back, Eintracht Frankfurt further extended their lead with goals from Eric Ebimbe and Ansgar Knauff.
In the Bundesliga, second-placed Bayern find themselves three points adrift of Bayern Leverkusen, who are set to face third-placed VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. This intensifies the competition at the top of the league, adding anticipation to upcoming fixtures.
England captain Harry Kane, featuring for the entire 90 minutes, experienced a rare goalless outing, failing to score for only the third time in 13 Bundesliga games this season. Despite this, he boasts an impressive record with 18 goals from 13 league matches, showcasing his impactful contributions.
Reflecting on the defeat, Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel expressed disappointment, stating that his team did not execute their planned strategies. The loss comes as a setback, especially considering Frankfurt’s recent struggles, having not won in their last three league games.
Frankfurt’s victory holds historical significance as they were the last team to score five goals against Bayern in the Bundesliga, achieving a memorable 5-1 win in 2019. This triumph adds context to their recent dominating performance against the defending champions.
Thomas Muller, Bayern’s midfielder, emphasized the need for a reaction following the heavy defeat. With Bayern already qualified for the Champions League last 16, their upcoming clash against Manchester United carries significance, and Muller expressed confidence in a rebound, stating that they need to elevate their performance to reach their full potential.
Wednesday dealt a blow to Frankfurt as they were eliminated from the German Cup by third-tier Saarbrucken, the same team that defeated Bayern in the second round. This setback adds to Frankfurt’s recent challenges, raising questions about their form.
Looking ahead, Frankfurt, currently in seventh place, faces a Europa Conference League fixture against Aberdeen on Thursday. The team will be seeking redemption and a positive outcome in this competition following their exit from the German Cup.
