Bundesliga
Musiala heading ever higher for Bayern
There were smiles all around for Bayern Munich and their star man Jamal Musiala, who celebrated his return to the Bavarians' starting line-up with a rare headed goal in a comprehensive victory against Bochum on Matchday 8.
The 21-year-old Musiala - recently laid low by a hip injury - beamed as he spoke of making it three career headed goals in the Bundesliga in Bayern's 5-0 triumph at the Vonovia-Ruhrstadion on Sunday. "Headers are not among my biggest qualities so I'm always happy when I score one," FCB's talented attacker told bundesliga.com.
"I made eye contact with Josh (Kimmich). He plays amazing crosses. I made a run in behind and just flicked it back. I'm always happy to score," Musiala added. Indeed, his latest effort brought up his Bundesliga tally to four for the campaign and 37 overall.
Watch: Musiala couldn't be happier with goalscoring return
It was Musiala's first start for a month and his clinical display also saw him laying on his first assist of 2024/25, with Harry Kane taking advantage to net his ninth top-flight goal of the season. Michael Olise, Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman were also on target in Bochum, leaving coach Vincent Kompany especially happy as his team retook top spot on goal difference from RB Leipzig.
"It was a very serious performance; a complete performance," the Belgian tactician explained. "Clean sheet, five goals, it even could have been more. But in the end we're very happy the game went this way. In the Bundesliga it's now two games, nine goals and 27 or 28 goals I think in eight games, so that's ok." In fact, Bayern's goals for count now stands at 29 and that was just one of many stats that stood out for the record champions after their one-sided victory in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Watch: Kompany satisfied following Bochum win
Kane beat Erling Haaland's previous best of netting 45 goals in his first 47 games in the Bundesliga. The English marksman managed the same scoring tally in just 45 matches in the division.
Coman, meanwhile, scored to ensure that Bayern have never lost in the Bundesliga when the Frenchman has found the net. The Bochum win made that 37 wins in 38 games when Coman has hit the target, and what a hit it was from the 28-year-old to round off the scoring.
For Sané, it was goal number 50 in all competitions for Bayern, and the attacker's first in the top flight for almost a year.
The result will give all concerned at Bayern confidence going into a DFB-Cup tie in Mainz in midweek and then for the visit of Union Berlin in the league next Saturday.