Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics were hardly at fault in a disappointing 2:3 DFB Pokal semi-final exit against Borussia Dortmund, but Die Bayern were the victims of their own making.
Die Roten have gone out of both their cup competitions in the space of one week. While the loss to Real Madrid could partially be blamed on referees and bad luck, this one was solely on the players.
Dortmund cede possession for protection
Normally a ball-hogging team itself, Dortmund played a different game on Wednesday.
For starters, the Bumblebees defended in a classic 4-4-2 formation. The twin banks of four helped manager Thomas Tuchel protect the flanks against Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry. However, it also meant Dortmund were without the ball for large spells of the game.
Raphael Guerreiro and Ousmane Dembélé were on the left and right wing respectively, but their average positions was very different. While Guerrero stayed wide, Dembélé operated in the right half-space.
Bayern victims of their own making
The positioning of Dembélé troubled Bayern all evening. David Alaba was often caught too high and wide to mark him and Xabi Alonso was either too deep or too hesitant to challenge him. Dortmund’s second goal exemplified this problem.
Other than that though, Bayern dominated the game tactically. Alonso was the extra man in buildup. He regularly sprayed passes to the wings, stretching Dortmund’s four-man backline.
The Reds also took sufficient advantage of Sokratis and Sven Bender. The visitors centre-half partnership lacked defensive composure and had to rely on last-ditch tackles to save their skin. If only Robert Lewandowski had finished one of the numerous chances they had conceded..
Final thoughts
Other than failing to contain Dembélé, Ancelotti cannot be blamed for this defeat. This one was solely on the players.
The game further emphasised Bayern’s over-reliance on Lewandowski for goals. We can only hope the board has noticed what we have and brings in necessary re-inforcements this summer.
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