Champions Bayern Munich had only themselves to blame after dominating for one half against Borussia Moenchengladbach but then conceding three goals to lose 3-1 on Saturday in their first league defeat of the season.
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“When you play against Bayern Munich, you have to play with conviction and the guys did that”, said ‘Gladbach coach Andre Schubert, who has eight wins and two draws since taking over.
Surprisingly Guardiola’s men were unable to put up resistance, allowing the hosts to triple the lead as Fabian Johnson finished a fast break to make it 3-0 on the scoreboards.
Bayern pulled a goal back in the 81st minute, as Franck Ribery marked his return to action with a goal, by slotting at the far post, after being picked out by Arturo Vidal.
Guardiola, without the services of David Alaba, Douglas Costa, Arjen Robben, Thiago Alcantara and Mario Gotze through injury, named an unchanged starting XI for the first time in 100 matches, although Ribery made a welcome return to the substitutes’ bench having been out since March with an ankle problem.
“Many teams adopt a highly defensive setup, but this is often ineffective due to the fact that Bayern tend to eventually find a hole”.
And their defeat leaves French champions Paris Saint-Germain as the only remaining unbeaten club in any of Europe s traditional big five leagues.
Though Gladbach are on a very good run they are up against a Bayern side brimming with confidence.
Bayern’s lead at the top was trimmed by second-placed Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 win at Wolfsburg thanks to Shinji Kagawa’s dramatic late victor.
The defeat knocks Wolfsburg confidence ahead of Tuesday s decisive Champions League clash against Manchester United in which they need a draw to qualify for the last 16. Before Schubert, ‘Gladbach had lost its opening five games.
Hertha Berlin climbed up to fourth with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Bayer Leverkusen, who had Sebastian Boenisch sent off with a red card for a unsafe challenge.
Raul Bobadilla scored Augsburg’s victor with a free kick in the 64th, shortly after Cologne forward Anthony Modeste had a penalty saved by Marwin Hitz.
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The Royal Blues won their first league game since downing Hertha in mid-October with goals by Johannes Geis, from a penalty, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Franco di Santo.
