Bayern Munich delivered a dominant 5-1 victory against RB Leipzig on Friday, further solidifying their lead at the top of the Bundesliga. However, the match was overshadowed by the tragic events in Magdeburg, where a car attack at a Christmas market claimed at least two lives and injured over 60 people.
“It’s almost impossible to talk about football. The people of Magdeburg are in our thoughts tonight,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany during a somber press conference. “We won tonight, but I wish for victories in peace next year.”
Bayern’s traditional pre-Christmas ceremony was curtailed, with only a rendition of “Silent Night” offered to supporters, and a minute of silence was observed at the Allianz Arena in memory of the victims.
On the pitch, Jamal Musiala opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the game, converting a Michael Olise cross following a sublime flick by Harry Kane, who returned from injury. However, Leipzig quickly equalized as Lois Openda’s skillful play set up Benjamin Sesko for a sharp finish.
Bayern soon regained control, with Konrad Laimer’s volley restoring their lead before Joshua Kimmich unleashed a powerful strike from 25 yards out to make it 3-1 before halftime.
Leipzig steadied briefly in the second half, but Bayern’s relentless form continued. Leroy Sane added a fourth after a perfectly timed through ball from Alphonso Davies, while Davies himself capped off the night with a rare header from Kimmich’s cross.
After the match, Harry Kane joined Kompany in expressing sympathy for the victims of the Magdeburg attack, saying, “Sometimes, there is a bigger picture than football. All of us at FC Bayern send our condolences to those affected.”
Despite the tragic backdrop, Bayern’s performance highlighted their dominance in the league, extending their lead to seven points over Bayer Leverkusen, who play Freiburg on Saturday.
