Bayern Refusing To Relax Despite 11-Point Bundesliga Lead. Serge Gnabry Explains Why

Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, who helped the team cancel out Borussia Dortmund's opener in Der Klassiker on Saturday night, isn't looking to take his foot off the pedal in the Bundesliga campaign after a thrilling 2-3 victory away from home. Gnabry was central to most of Bayern's attacks at the Signal Iduna Park, and it was his assist that allowed Harry Kane - the team's focal point in attack - to bring Bayern level after Nico Schlotterbeck's opener in the first half. Bayern scored twice more in the second half, while Dortmund added one, but it wasn't enough to stop the record champions from going 11 points clear at the top of the table.

Despite the sizeable lead, Gnabry insisted Bayern will not ease up on their opponents for the remainder of the season. Bayern manager Vincent Kompany said that beating Dortmund was like a "mini title". During a conversation with NDTV after the match in Dortmund, Gnabry was asked whether it did indeed feel like a "mini title". His answer was affirmative.

Q: Vincent Kompany said that beating Dortmund is like a mini-title, and the performance showed that today. It really felt like two close teams competing against each other. Does it feel like a mini-title right now?

Gnabry: Yeah, you might say so. For sure, it was the two best teams competing. Obviously, for Dortmund, it was very important to get a win. So yes, we're happy about it - and beating Dortmund, especially away from home, always feels good. It was great to celebrate with our fans, and we took home an 11-point lead, which is very good for us.

When asked whether Bayern's current lead gives them the freedom to focus more on other tournaments like the Champions League, Gnabry's response reflected the mentality that has made Bayern one of the most successful clubs in world football.

Q: Does the 11-point lead give you the freedom to focus more on the Champions League and other tournaments now that you have that cushion?

Gnabry: I don't think so, because at Bayern we always want to win every game, so it doesn't matter. If we lose three games now, everyone's going to be angry - so that's not going to happen. But yes, it does feel good, I can't lie.

It feels good to have an 11-point lead over second place, so I'm very happy today.

Topics mentioned in this article

Bayern München Borussia Dortmund Serge Gnabry Football