The 2-2 draw at Hamburger SV left FC Bayern with a sense of disillusionment. Despite taking the lead at one stage, the Munich side had to settle for a point on the 20th Bundesliga matchday. For captain Manuel Neuer, the draw felt far worse than the table would suggest
FC Bayern initially fell behind at the Volksparkstadion, fought back and turned the game around after the break, but once again lacked the defensive stability to finish the game consistently. Hamburg’s renewed equalizer prevented the hoped-for away win and caused frustration among the Munich players
After the final whistle, there was one statement in particular: the record champions should have won this game
„Wanted to take the three points today“
Manuel Neuer found clear words in an interview with Sky after the game, without excuses or discussions about the referee, but with a sober look at his own performance. „This draw feels like a defeat. We wanted more today and to take the three points home with us,“ explained the Bayern captain on the Sky microphone
In fact, the Munich side could hardly have complained about a win given the share of the game and the distribution of chances. FC Bayern had significantly more possession, more shots and more set-pieces, but once again it was clear that dominance alone is not enough if efficiency is lacking and defensive laxity is punished
Despite all the disappointment, Neuer also tried to highlight the positive aspects. „They scored from a penalty and a fine header. But we had more chances, set pieces and good situations,“ said the 39-year-old. An assessment that accurately reflects the course of the game, but does not put the point loss into perspective
Disappointment as motivation for the upcoming tasks
What was particularly remarkable was how much the draw visibly annoyed Bayern. However, Neuer sees this as a potential turning point. „But if you look at the players‘ faces, it’s a good sign for next week. We want to attack again and win our next game,“ emphasized the goalkeeper
The frustration at missing out on three points should serve as an internal motivation. This attitude could be decisive, especially in a phase in which FC Bayern is showing slight weaknesses for the first time this season. After the defeat against Augsburg and the draw in Hamburg, it is now two winless Bundesliga games in a row – an unusual picture for the record champions
What is striking is that Bayern are currently suffering less from a lack of attacking power than from a lack of consistency. They are creating chances, controlling games, but lacking the necessary coolness in the decisive moments. At the same time, defensive mistakes are being punished immediately.