FC Bayern’s 3:2 victory in the classic against Borussia Dortmund has probably brought about a preliminary decision in the championship race. Eleven points ahead, only a few matchdays left – the trophy seems almost impossible to take from the Munich team. Joshua Kimmich put it confidently: „We won’t give it up.“ However, former DFB star Toni Kroos sees a glaring weakness at FCB
While everything looks set for a title defence in the Bundesliga, Toni Kroos recognizes a development that could be dangerous for the rest of the season – especially with a view to the Champions League
Bayern is one of the top favorites for Kroos
In his podcast Einfach mal Luppen, the 2014 world champion clearly categorizes his former club: „Bayern is one of the clubs that can win it.“ For Kroos, FCB is one of the serious contenders for the trophy despite occasional fluctuations
He is relaxed about the phase of minor problems at the start of the year. „Everyone in Europe has this phase,“ explains Kroos, pointing to the slip-ups of Arsenal, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. In addition, Munich have recently won five games in a row across all competitions – the form curve is pointing upwards again
Although Atalanta Bergamo will be an unpleasant opponent in the round of 16, Kroos does not see them as a real stumbling block for Bayern
Standards as an Achilles heel
Despite all the recognition, Kroos issues a clear warning: „Bayern concede a lot of goals from set pieces,“ he analyzes. „It’s an unusually high number and can quickly put an end to what is actually a good season.“
The figures prove him right: FCB conceded their seventh Bundesliga goal from a resting ball in the classic match in Dortmund. With a total of 23 goals conceded, that equates to almost a third – a striking rate
„Dortmund exploited one of Bayern’s weaknesses from the last few weeks,“ Kroos emphasized. That could have fatal consequences, especially in the knockout phase of the Champions League. Against teams like Manchester City, Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain, details are often decisive – and standards have long been one of the most important weapons in modern top-flight soccer
Kroos knows from his own experience how decisive such situations can be. In the 2024 Champions League final, he set up a corner to give Real Madrid the lead – and ended up winning 2-0 against Dortmund
„There is a negative trend at FC Bayern,“ warned the 34-year-old. There is still time to take countermeasures, but the problem must be taken seriously
The next test comes on Friday against Borussia Mönchengladbach. With 13 standard goals, the colts are one of the strongest teams in the league in this discipline. For FC Bayern, it will be important not only to shine offensively, but also to consistently close this potential weak point.