- Kane's trophy curse is lifted
- Scored in the victory over Monchengladbach
- Müller got a rousing farewell from the Bayern faithful
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AFPBayern delivered a professional and polished performance at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, brushing aside Borussia Mönchengladbach in what was essentially a formality in terms of league standings. Already crowned Bundesliga champions, the Bavarians showed no signs of complacency as Vincent Kompany’s team hit the ground running from the opening whistle.
One of the brightest sparks of the afternoon was Michael Olise, who dominated the right flank with his exceptional footwork, pace, and vision. Bayern’s dominance finally translated into a breakthrough after the half-hour mark when Olise once again cut inside with purpose. Weaving past markers, he unleashed an effort that took the slightest deflection off Harry Kane before finding the bottom corner of the net.
The goal, though tinged with fortune, was credited to the England captain, marking yet another milestone in his illustrious career. It was Kane’s 25th league goal of the Bundesliga campaign, and remarkably, the sixth time in his career that he has reached such a tally in domestic league football.
The fairy-tale ending to Bayern’s home campaign was sealed in stoppage time when Olise finally got his reward for a dazzling display. Leroy Sane spotted the winger’s darting run and threaded a precise ball through the heart of Monchengladbach’s defence. Olise coolly slotted home past the goalkeeper to register Bayern’s second of the match and round off a memorable individual and team performance.
The match served as a symbolic moment for Bayern fans as Müller played his final home fixture in the famous red shirt. With the result effectively sealed in the second half, Kompany made the sentimental decision to substitute the veteran forward. What followed was a deeply emotional moment inside the Allianz Arena. A standing ovation swept through the crowd as the name “Thomas Müller” rang out from every corner of the stadium. Players lined up to form a guard of honour, saluting the 35-year-old who has been synonymous with the club for over a decade.
Getty Images SportOlise had a sensational outing on Saturday afternoon as he tormented Monchengladbach’s defence for the entire 90 minutes. Questions were asked about his lofty price tag of £60 million ($77m) after his transfer, but the winger has proven that he is worth every penny spent as he now boasts 15 goals and 19 assists in 48 appearances for Bayern.
While Bayern celebrated, it was a day to forget for Monchengladbach’s young left-back Lukas Ulrich. The 21-year-old was frequently isolated and exposed by Olise, who toyed with him from the outset. With little protection from teammate Robin Hack, Ulrich found himself overwhelmed and unable to contain the relentless waves of attacks coming down his flank.
With this routine win in the books, Bayern Munich will turn their attention to the final Bundesliga fixture of the season on May 17, when they travel to face Hoffenheim. Once the domestic campaign concludes, Bayern will have a few weeks to regroup before embarking on a transatlantic trip to the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup. Their opening match of the tournament is scheduled for June 15 against Auckland City, and expectations will be high for the German giants to make a deep run.
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