No one saw RB Leipzig's season coming. The newly-promoted, corporation-owned club found themselves level on points with mighty Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga heading into their match Wednesday.
In addition to being plucky upstarts, RB Leipzig are also the most hated team in the Bundesliga because of their association with Red Bull and money. Bayern fans were cheering both for their team and against the commodification of football, even though they form a T-Mobile ad in the stands during home games. The lesson: every football club is a corporation and we're all suckers.
But, if anybody was going to knock Bayern off their perch at the top of the Bundesliga, it was going to be Leipzig. Wednesday offered them a chance to prove they're on equal footing with Bayern, and that this season isn't going to be a cakewalk for the defending champions.
Bayern scored three goals before halftime and then rode off into the sunset.
Sometimes you just kneed a little luck. @Thiago6 with the early opener for Bayern. #FCBRBL https://t.co/RqWIOxgtN4
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 21, 2016
Sloppy from Leipzig. Cool as you like from @XabiAlonso. 2-0, Bayern. #FCBRBL https://t.co/U2U09zXQGJ
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 21, 2016
Bayern's 3rd goal put the game on ice before halftime. What a pass by (newly blonde) @matshummels to lead to the PK. https://t.co/vlqk4kbOQH
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 21, 2016
It all went wrong for Leipzig and it all went right for Bayern. At 2-0 Emil Forsberg stomped on Philipp Lahm's heel and got sent off. It's hard to play against anyone when you're down a man, but it's especially hard against a team that can knock the ball around like Bayern Munich can.
The closest Bayern came to a screw-up in this game was when Thiago tried to pass to the animated advertising board Santa.
LMAO THIAGO THOUGHT THAT SANTA IS A BAYERN PLAYER HAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/awUaQPO7Ji
— Phil (@Reventon_17) December 21, 2016
We're told three teams in China have already offered north of $30 million for Santa. Maybe Leipzig should buy him.
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