Nagelsmann, Choupo, and Musiala all smiles after FCB win: "World Class!"
FCB trainer Julian Nagelsmann was full of praise for his team following their fourth straight victory and extended their unbeaten run to seven games on-the-trot.
Jamal Musiala and Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting (the squad's two goalscorers) also shared their thoughts with the Sky microphones.
The international break "mini-crisis" couldn't be further in the past for Julian Nagelsmann's FC Bayern München. Germany's record champions have not lost since a loss against Augsburg in round seven raised serious questions about the team's post Robert Lewandowski prospects. After another victory, all is once again well in the Bavarian house.
Jamal Musiala and Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting (the squad's two goalscorers) also shared their thoughts with the Sky microphones.
Things are going particularly well for two players charged with producing goals in the absence of the legendary Pollack. Jamal Musiala and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The former recorded his ninth goal across all competitions this year, equalling his total from last year. The latter scored in his third straight match since Nagelsmann reinserted him into the starting XI.
Nagelsmann had more praise to offer Choupo.
"[Choupo] fully-fleshed our top striker who scores, who works, who does a good job of securing the balls up front," Nagelsmann said of his 33-year-old new number nine and his decisive 2-0 goal after what the coach thought was an excellent start from his team, "The first 35 minutes were world-class. They created many goalmouth scenes and opened the game very well under high press4re.
Choupo himself revealed that Nagelsmann had been working on many aspects of his game in the recent training sessions. The Hamburg native made clear that his role wasn't merely to be a classic target forward. In point of fact, he had many roles in Bayern's rebuilt attack. His prep work on his own goal was top-notch.
"That was my job: To hold up balls and also initiate attacks and not always just finish," Choupo-Moting explained to "Sky" mic after the game, adding with a grin "I'm not there just to finish. In that respect, I think I did a good job."
Musiala also credited his goal with set-piece practice on the training pitch. Musiala opened the scoring in the 18th, chesting down and finishing a Joshua Kimmich corner that Leon Goretzka had flicked on in his direction. It was a very nice design.
"We practiced that in training," Musiala revealed, "but I didn't expect that I would have so much space."
Nagelsmann did reserve some light criticism for his side after they pumped the brakes after securing the 2-0 lead. Ultimately, however, the FCB trainer couldn't stay mad at his team for allowing Hoffenheim a couple of chances. The coach's smile never wavered for a second as he credited back-up keeper Sven Ulreich with "two world class saves".