Bayern Munich full-back Nathaniel Brown dedicated his goal and the team's 6-1 DFB-Pokal victory over Magdeburg to the club's absent head coach. The defender insisted that the squad is completely unified ahead of Saturday's Der Klassiker.
Brown steps up as Bayern cruise into round of 16
Nathaniel Brown capped off a stellar personal display by scoring Bayern Munich's fifth goal in a 6-1 DFB-Pokal victory over Magdeburg at the Allianz Arena. The young defender started in a rotated back four alongside Josip Stanisic, Jonathan Tah, and Hiroki Ito.
Despite Magdeburg equalizing early in the first half, Bayern overran their second-tier opposition after the break.
The result booked the Bavarians' place in the DFB-Pokal round of 16.
Full-back sends touching message to resting manager
Speaking after the match, Brown made it clear that the squad was playing for their head coach, who remains sidelined while recovering at home. "Magdeburg did very well, it took us a bit of time to really get into the game," Brown admitted.
"But once we get going, it’s huge fun, especially the second half."
"We want to win every match, regardless of the opponents... We also win for our coach. He should be resting but I hope we see him again soon," the defender stated.
Squad depth shines amid missing key figures
Brown highlighted how the internal culture at Bayern allows fringe players to step up seamlessly when starters are rested or absent. "Today we wanted to progress – and now we concentrate on Saturday," Brown noted.
Assistant coach Aaron Danks praised the team's second-half adjustments, which allowed Bayern to gain complete tactical control.
Brown's goal underscored the quality available across Bayern's squad depth.
All eyes turn to blockbuster Klassiker showdown
With cup progression secured, Brown and Bayern immediately turn their attention to Saturday's top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash against Borussia Dortmund.
The Bavarians host their fierce rivals looking to extend their domestic momentum.
Bayern will also learn their round of 16 cup opponents during Sunday's official draw.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
