Women's Bundesliga kick-off: A record-breaking game that highlights the luxury problem

Coach José Barcala had arguably the best idea of ​​the evening after the break. When the FC Bayern women's soccer team returned to the pitch for their Bundesliga season opener against Bayer Leverkusen, Klara Bühl didn't sit on the bench as before, but jogged onto the pitch as a substitute. She immediately injected some previously missing dynamism into the Munich women's occasionally sluggish game from her left wing, and two decisive moments followed.

First, an assist. Bühl curled the ball at the back post from a corner to defender Vanessa Gilles, who scored the opening goal with a powerful header in the 76th minute. Then, just the next minute, while everyone was still celebrating the 1-0 lead and the goal anthem was playing, she scored herself. Jovana Damnjanovic passed the ball in an arc from one side of the six-yard box to the other, Bühl volleyed it home and sealed the match 2-0 in the 77th minute. In doing so, she saved the evening for FC Bayern, who had been demanding a win from the hosts to reach their full potential.

At the start of the Bundesliga season, national team player Klara Bühl discusses her expectations for the new season. She explains what lessons the German national team should learn from the European Football Championship – and explains why she stayed at FC Bayern.

As Bianca Rech, the director of the Bayern women's team, walked out of the stadium, you could see how relieved she was. Saturday wasn't just about a good start and the debut of Barcala, who took over from Alexander Straus as the most successful coach of the Bayern women's team . The whole thing took place on a much bigger stage than usual for home games at the Campus stadium: the Allianz Arena. The Munich women had played there four times before, with the premiere on March 22, 2022 in the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain . But this time it was supposed to be a really full place - and it was. With 57,762 spectators, the club set a record in German women's club football on Saturday. President Herbert Hainer, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and Uli Hoeneß were also among the spectators.

"It's an incredible feeling because we've been working towards this for a really long time," said Rech with a satisfied smile. The previous record, 57,000 spectators, was set by HSV and Werder Bremen at the DFB-Pokal semi-final in Hamburg's Volksparkstadion last March . In the Bundesliga, 1. FC Köln attracted 38,365 spectators to the Müngersdorf Stadium for its match against Eintracht Frankfurt in April 2023. And now the new number, with which the Munich team more than doubled their record of 24,000 spectators at their Champions League home game against Barcelona three years ago.

It's in keeping with the double winners' self-image that FC Bayern is also at the top here. However, Rech also emphasized that this isn't a given: "We've been working towards this game for six months, let's not forget that," she said. "In the Champions League, we have four weeks, which is a huge difference." According to Rech, at least 25,000 tickets must be sold so that FC Bayern doesn't have to pay extra when the women's football team performs here. But of course, they would love to return soon. "For many of us, a childhood dream has come true," said Bühl. "We talked all week about how we wanted something like this. The fact that it's come true is something very special."

That some players were somewhat overwhelmed by the atmosphere became apparent in the first half of the opening match. Barcala had only changed one position in their starting eleven compared to the 4-2 Supercup victory against VfL Wolfsburg a week earlier. Vanessa Gilles was preferred to Stine Ballisager in central defense. But his team struggled, having only one chance through Lea Schüller in the second minute. This was also due to the fact that the visitors defended compactly, moved well, attacked high and, as Bühl put it, "were very venomous and were always somehow on our feet." Bayer's defender Carlotta Wamser, in particular, resolutely stood in our way with her physicality almost everywhere and at all times.

But all of that took its toll. The Leverkusen players were also still thinking about the fact that they had been denied a penalty in the first half for a shirt pull, and that everyone had been euphorically celebrating their supposed lead in the 66th minute, which was then ruled out due to handball. And as impressively as last year's fourth-place finisher fought, FC Bayern once again set a precedent that will likely be repeated more often this season: Barça brought on Pernille Harder and Lena Oberdorf, among others, for Bühl, just as they had in the Supercup. Leverkusen were unable to maintain the pressure against this fresh individual quality.

This squad also contains this season's luxury problem. Barça can still argue that both Harder and Oberdorf should be rested following their injuries, and that Bühl should be rested after months of intensive training. Giulia Gwinn and captain Glódís Viggósdóttir are still unavailable due to injury. But the sheer number of times national player Bühl was asked after the opening match at the Arena how she handled the role of a substitute demonstrated the potential for conflict inherent in the topic. Bühl reacted calmly: "Of course you're disappointed, no question. But when I look at the pitch, when I look at the bench next to me, it's simply a privilege to play in this team."

Barça must fulfill its ambition of defending its league and cup titles this season – and, if possible, reaching at least the semifinals of the Champions League. And, at the same time, ensure that the mood doesn't deteriorate among this squad full of top-class players. Potential disappointment "must not spill over into the team completely over a longer period of time," warned Bianca Rech. "It will affect everyone at some point, not playing from the start. And it's important that we get that into their heads, because in the end, this squad will be crucial to our success."

What should help José Barcala cope with the expectations is not only the Spaniard's open communication, which has already been praised by several players, but also the schedule. From October until just before Christmas, his team will play many English weeks. Rotation is necessary. Until then, there is still time to implement the game plan, even if it will be a while before the next record crowd.