Let’s be real this wasn’t the Klassiker we’ve come to expect. It had the drama, the energy, the chances… but not the edge-of-your-seat, season-defining weight. Yet, Bayern and Dortmund both walked off the pitch knowing this draw meant a lot more than just a shared point.
Joshua Kimmich summed it up perfectly after the final whistle: “We aren’t really efficient… and we are not defending well enough.” For Bayern, it’s becoming a frustrating loop. They dominate, they press, they create and yet, again, they walk away without the win. It happened midweek against Inter. It happened again on Saturday.
Bayern had three times the shots Dortmund did. Still, they had to settle for 2-2. If Pascal Gross’s late lob had dropped just an inch lower, we’d be talking about another gut punch. Add that to the Champions League slip against Inter, and you can see why Kimmich is boiling over.
And Harry Kane? He’s been a machine this season but this past week, when it really counted, the killer instinct wasn’t there. Missed chances against Inter and Dortmund will haunt him if Bayern falter in Milan. A big game needs a big moment. He owes them one.
Thomas Muller, though, is doing what Müller does. A goal vs. Inter, an assist vs. Dortmund, and pure chaos in between. Even at 34, he’s dragging Bayern forward with pure will.
For Dortmund, this was more than just not losing. It was about not folding. After being embarrassed by Barcelona midweek, coming to Munich and holding their ground showed spine.
They’re still six points off the top four, but this was a performance with fight. Waldemar Anton’s equaliser? Deserved. Kovac’s switch to a back three? Smart. The team looked alive again.
What’s wild is that for the second season running, Dortmund haven’t lost in Munich despite being, frankly, poor most of the year. It’s bizarre. But maybe it’s a sign something deeper is starting to click under Niko Kovac. He might not feel like a Dortmund coach, but right now, he might be exactly what they need.
This match won’t go down in history as an all-timer. But it exposed the cracks, the missed chances, and the mental hurdles both sides are still facing.
Bayern are still six points clear, but the ghosts of missed opportunities are creeping in. Dortmund? They’re still chasing shadows, but at least they’ve stopped running from the fight.
This week especially in Milan is make or break. Because if Bayern keep being “the better team” without the results, the season might slip through their fingers. And that, in this club, is unacceptable.
