It was the moment they had all been … not so much waiting for, but planning, pushing and yearning for. On the green screen grabs that announce the starting lineup on the giant scoreboard before kick-off, every Bayern Munich player turns to face the camera with their personal salute, greeting or goal celebration, the playful progression from the standard folding of arms. Except on Saturday evening, the No 9 turned around smiling, and cradling the golden trophy.
In the midweek DFB Pokal stroll against Magdeburg there had been a salute, the players welcoming Harry Kane on to the pitch with a guard of honour to commemorate his Ballon d’Or victory two nights before. This, however, was the real party, the moment where the England captain’s and Bayern’s successful union and the apex it has reached was celebrated in front of a global audience. There was every reason to believe it would be a full and satisfying victory lap, even in Der Klassiker, with proper competition so often bringing the best out of the Rekordmeister.
Dortmund, however, did not read the script. Neither did the football gods. Kane was not completely neutered in this and laid on yet another assist, nodding across goal to present Dayot Upamecano a second goal in successive Bundesliga games That looked like the winner until Fábio Silva’s 89th-minute equaliser for the visitors.
Yet in between ,there was frustration for the man who has walked on water since arriving in Munich. He clattered a penalty which could have made it 2-0 against the crossbar and hit the post from point-blank range that could have made it 3-1, after Serhou Guirassy’s first equaliser and the Upamecano strike that put Bayern back in front. Three years ago on Wednesday, Kane hit a hat-trick in his first Klassiker in a 4-0 win at Signal Iduna Park.
Despite the cliche that BVB are Bayern’s bunnies, the champions have not had it all their own way in this fixture. This was Kane’s fourth Klassiker at the Allianz Arena, and Bayern have only won one of them. Many of those watching from around the world who tuned in to see Kane lift his personal trophy would have expected a subsequent procession to victory but having arrived level on points at the top of the table, Dortmund were able to leave Bavaria in the same position.
This was, as Ruhr Nachrichten’s Kevin Pinnow put it, “much more than just a point” for Dortmund. It was not a signal they are Bayern’s equal but a sign they could roll with the punches, that they could show guts and enterprise and find solutions, from the switch to a back four that blind-sided their hosts to the energy and daring in midfield, exemplified by Jobe Bellingham’s best performance since he arrived last year. The young Englishman is a symbol of the good Niko Kovac has done since arriving at the club, a combination of patience and high demand.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
