Bayern Munich narrowly beaten by Manchester City in Tokyo
Bayern Munich fell to a narrow defeat at the hands of Manchester City in a blockbuster pre-season friendly in Tokyo, with Mathys Tel on the scoresheet in a 2-1 loss for the German champions.
Friendly Pre-season Pre-season National Stadium, Tokyo
90'
+ 1
Full-time: Bayern 1-2 Man City
It's all over in Tokyo, where Bayern have been beaten 2-1 by Man City. James McAtee opened the scoring for City before Mathys Tel's late equaliser and Aymeric Laporte's eventual winner. It was a good test for Bayern, especially when you take into account the fact they only landed in Japan yesterday. Important minutes in the legs of players, plenty of encouraging signs against an impressive outfit and even the first sights of some promising youngsters; all in all a good runout despite the result.
End of second half
90'
+ 1
Into added time
Not long to go now for Bayern to salvage a draw.
87'
City retake the lead
Bayern aren't level for long, this time Laporte converting from inside the box after a smart corner-kick routine.
City suddenly come to life, with Haaland firing at goal and then Ulreich making a superb diving save from the resulting corner. With five minutes to go, it's opened up.
81'
Bayern are level!
Well, we'd just said there hadn't been any goal threat from Bayern but they're level. Tel is in the right place at the right time to tuck home a rebound, much in the same fashion as City's opener.
It's just been announced that 65,049 fans have packed into the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. Some effort that and it shows you just how much pull these two teams have.
77'
Bayern sitting deep
There has been very little threat on goal from Bayern in this second half but the same can be said of City. The Manchester outfit have had all the ball but the Bavarians have sat deep and held firm.
71'
10th change for City
The Cityzens make another quick changes as young Perrone replaces Silva. Things are pretty calm at the minute, no major goalscoring threat at either end.
Bayern manage to catch City off guard with a wonderful ball over the top that frees Mane cutting in from the left. Mane can't bring the ball under his spell, though, and the chance goes begging. Time for another drinks break.
64'
City on top
Bayern just can't get out of their half at the minute. It's the side from Manchester that's bossing things currently.
60'
Youthful Bayern
Those changes at the break have resulted in a very young Bayern side taking to the field, especially at the back. City are turning the screw a bit and this will be some test of Bayern's young guns.
52'
Slow start
With all those changes it's fair to say that both sides are taking time to warm to proceedings. Mane goes down in the box looking for a penalty but his appeals are waved away.
There's a raft of changes at half-time and it looks like Bayern have swapped their entire first XI, while City have made 10. We'll have confirmation on those in a moment.
Kick-off!
Half-time
45'
+ 2
Almost 2-0
Bayern almost see their deficit doubled as Sommer dawdles on the ball and almost leaves City an open goal as he loses his footing. Tuchel's team survive, though, and it's 1-0 at half-time.
45'
Two minutes added on
Can Bayern grab an equaliser before the break?
42'
Flashed across the box
Bayern have had a host of first half corners and they nearly convert as Pavard's near post flick flies across the six-yard box but no-one in white and red can poke it home. Coman then draws a save from the feet of Ederson as Bayern ramp up the pressure.
38'
Musiala denied
Musiala has burst into life every time he's gotten on the ball and this time he moves right to left before letting fly from the edge of the box. Ederson parries it to safety.
35'
Rapid vs. Rapid
We've had one superb footrace between Davies and Walker so far, which was about level pegging. Possibly two of the fastest players in Europe going up against each other is some sight.
30'
First familiar face
Former Dortmund man Akanji comes on for Ake. Looks a precaution after the accidental clash with Coman.
Bayern have upped the intensity since the drinks break and Musiala is excellent closing down Ederson but can't quite capitalise on the error. Coman takes a bit of a knock moments after, as does Ake.
21'
City take the lead
Just as Bayern are having their best spell of the game, City go 1-0 in front. It's sloppy at the back and although Sommer makes a great save to deny Alvarez, McAtee follows up first to tap into an empty net.
Sane lets fly with a stunning free-kick full of pace, swerve and dip and Ederson can only watch on as it strikes the bar and goes over. Wonderful effort.
18'
Almost 1-0
Bayern win the ball back well in midfield and come to life when Musiala breaks. Sane is nearly brought down in the box before pulling it back to Musiala, whose shot is blocked and flies over the bar. It's Bayern who look the more threatening.
17'
Flexible Tuchel
It's worth noting that Bayern's back line is very flexible with this line-up as Mazroui and Davies tuck in to allow the other to push forward whenever the get the opportunity. The presence of Pavard as the right centre back is particularly helpful for Mazroui to get high up the pitch.
12'
Counter-attacking Bayern
Bayern are absorbing City pressure well so far and moving the ball quickly on the counter once they do either win the ball back or force an error. Both Gnabry and Sane are close to being freed in the box but City snuff out the danger. Tuchel's side are warming to things.
8'
Gnabry almost in
Musiala darts from left to right of the City box and looks to play Gnabry in on the reverse but can't quite find his teammate. Very lively stuff from Bayern.
6'
First sight of goal
It's City who have a first shot on goal but it's dragged wide from the edge of the box and relatively harmless. Bayern quickly force a corner at the other end but it comes to nothing.
4'
City start the brighter
It's the English champions who have settled fastest but they're content to just knock it about at the back without creating serious threat just yet. It's as you'd expect considering they've already played - and won - since touching down in Japan, while Bayern only landed yesterday.
1'
Off we go
We're underway in Tokyo...
Kick-off!
10 minutes to go
We're edging towards kick-off in Tokyo, with 10 minutes to go until we get underway. This should be fun.
A familiar fixture
This has become a bit of a common occurrence in pre-season, with this the fifth summer friendly between these teams in recent years. Bayern won the first two (2-1 in 2013 and 1-0 in 2016), but City took the spoils in the next two (a 3-2 success in 2018 and a 1-0 triumph last year).
More on those teams
Interestingly, Bayern are without Matthijs de Ligt and we won't get a first sight of Kim today. Thomas Tuchel has, however, picked a strong side - one that hints at what we may well see come Matchday 1. As for City, there are no fewer than six ex-Bundesliga players on the bench, including Joao Cancelo - who spent time with Bayern last term - and BVB old boys Manuel Akanji, Sergio Gomez and Haaland.
While Konrad Laimer featured in that aforementioned victory, Bayern fans should get a first sight of fellow summer signing Minjae Kim (pictured) this afternoon. It will be interesting to see how they fare against tough opponents.
Bayern made headlines with a 27-0 - yep, TWENTY-SEVEN-NIL! - win last time out. We're not quite expecting the same result today, but you never know!
How will Bayern line up this season?
As with any pre-season fixture, you will expect to see fresh faces and plenty of changes today but the calibre of opposition will likely see two strong teams put out. We've been looking at how Bayern may line up this season, which may shine a light on things to come both today and beyond.
As far as pre-season friendlies go, they don't get much bigger than this; the record reigning German champions taking on last season's winners of both England's top division and the UEFA Champions League... in Tokyo. Both sides will be prioritising minutes in the legs of their players and a greater tactical understanding ahead of the season-proper but this is also an opportunity make a real statement ahead of the new campaign. It should be a cracker, with kick-off slated for 12.30pm CEST.
History guide
Bayern and City have met eight times in competitive fixtures down through the years. The Citizens have managed four wins to Bayern's three thus far. The teams first locked horns in the group stages of the Champions League back in September 2011.
The last time Bayern faced City was in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second-leg last April in Munich. The match ended 1-1, with Joshua Kimmich cancelling out a Haaland opener. The result failed to help the Bundesliga side progress, however, with Pep Guardiola's charges advancing to the last four by 4-1 on aggregate.
Musiala's new goals
His last-gasp title-winning strike against Cologne last May was unsurprisingly voted Bayern's goal of the season recently but Jamal Musiala insisted that his focus is fully on the campaign ahead in a recent interview. "I want to continue to get better compared to last season; that means scoring more goals and providing more assists," the 20-year-old explained.
Thomas Tuchel's men put Rottach-Egern to the sword by a scoreline of 27-0 as the Bavarians got their pre-season friendly schedule moving at some speed on 18 July.
City open for five
Former Borussia Dortmund favourite Erling Haaland was on target twice for the Premier League title holders as they defeated Yokohama F. Marinos in Tokyo on Sunday. Pep Guardiola's team came from behind to eventually down the Japanese side 5-3 in their first friendly game of pre-season.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this scintillating prospect of a pre-season friendly between Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and last season's treble winners Manchester City.
Preview
Thomas Tuchel’s charges are around two weeks into their preparations for 2023/24, and announced their return to action in some style with a 27-0 friendly victory over Bavarian amateur club Rottach-Egern in their first warm-up game of the summer. This match against City forms part of Bayern’s tour of Asia between 24 July and 3 August that will see them visit Japan and Singapore and contest further friendlies against Kawasaki Frontale (29 July) and Liverpool (2 August). Summer signing Konrad Laimer starts but Minjae Kim is left out of the matchday squad, as is captain Manuel Neuer. Thomas Müller and newcomer Raphael Guerreiro remain in Munich for the tour due to hip and calf injuries respectively.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side are likewise embarking on a tour of Asia, and arrived in Japan on 20 July. This game is sandwiched between friendlies against Yokohama F Marinos in Tokyo (23 July) and a meeting with Spanish side Atletico Madrid in South Korea (30 July). It’s been a relatively quiet summer on the transfer market so far for the Premier League champions, with former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gündogan departing for Barcelona, and just Mateo Kovacic arriving. Joao Cancelo, who spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Bayern, starts on the bench alonsgide Haaland, Sergio Gomez, Manuel Akanji (all Dortmund), Kevin De Bruyne (Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg) and Stefan Moreno (Bielefeld). Add in Guardiola (Bayern), and there's a sizeable Cityzen contingent with a Bundesliga past. Watch: Highlights of Bayern’s friendly win over Rottach-Egern
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Match stats
This will be the fifth summer friendly between these teams in recent years. Bayern won the first two (2-1 in 2013 and 1-0 in 2016), but City took the spoils in the next two (a 3-2 success in 2018 and a 1-0 triumph last year).
They have also met eight times in the Champions League. Bayern have won three of those and City four, with one draw.The English side knocked Bayern out in the quarter-finals en route to glory in 2022/23, winning 3-0 at home and drawing 1-1 in Munich.
Jamal Musiala, who registered 12 goals and 10 assists in the Bundesliga last season, scored five times in Bayern’s first friendly against Rottach-Egern.
Serge Gnabry spent part of his summer holidays in Japan and even trained with upcoming opponents Kawasaki Frontale.
Cancelo posted four assists and one goal in 15 Bundesliga outings for Bayern last season.
Haaland has seven goals and two assists in nine competitive games against Bayern.
