Gladbach vs. Bayern Munich: Score, Grades and Reaction from Bundesliga Game

The top two in the Bundesliga fought out an entertaining and tactical 0-0 draw on Sunday, leaving both sides unbeaten after nine rounds of action in the 2014-15 season. The result keeps Bayern Munich top by four clear points ahead of Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg and Gladbach themselves.

Bayern held! Neuer on form for @FCBayernEN as battling @borussia_en frustrate champions to share the spoils #BMGFCB pic.twitter.com/JugocLS4lz

— Bundesliga (@Bundesliga_EN) October 26, 2014

Following from a big win last week over bottom club Werder Bremen and a stonking win in Europe midweek, Bayern could hardly have come into the match in more effective attacking form—but they came up here against the team with the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga, and it showed.

Lucien Favre set his Gladbach team up to defend extraordinarily well, not merely sitting back in numbers but also pressing space in midfield to direct Bayern into playing into the crowded centre all too often. It rendered Mario Gotze in particular completely ineffective, while the front men simply couldn't find enough space to get free shots away.

David Alaba had the first real chance of note when he curled an effort at goal moments after Yann Sommer spilled a Thomas Muller cross—but the Swiss keeper redeemed himself by tipping Alaba's effort away from goal and onto the far post.

Robert Lewandowski and Rafinha had shots off target, but Alaba's effort was to be as close as Bayern came to finding a goal in the first half.

Meanwhile, the home side looked dangerous on the counter, rapidly looking to switch play as soon as they received possession and get Andre Hahn forward at pace down the right. Twice he caused big problems for Bayern, especially when crossing for Max Kruse—who was denied by a superb save by Manuel Neuer.

After the break, Bayern continued to dominate possession and probe the Gladbach back line, but it was more and more frequently the home side who looked more likely to score, albeit always in the same vein—press, win the ball, switch play and counter at pace with two or three players.

Best 0-0 this season. Great tactical battle. Bayern pushed to the limit. Best Gladbach team under Favre IMO.

— Cristian Nyari (@Cnyari) October 26, 2014

Neuer became Bayern's most important player as he produced big moment after big moment, getting down low to deny Hahn with a rocket of a low shot to his right, before stopping striker Raffael at his left side, near post. The world's top keeper showed exactly why, for Gladbach's great defensive record, the lowest goals-against tally still resides with Bayern this season.

Pep Guardiola brought on Franck Ribery, Claudio Pizarro and Xherdan Shaqiri to try and turn the game in his side's favour, but with Granit Xhaka and Cristoph Kramer getting through prodigious amounts of work in midfield, Borussia Monchengladbach's impenetrable defensive wall held out to record a well-deserved point of their own.

Christoph Kramer: MotM vs Bayern Munich - Rating 8.36, Tackles 6, Interceptions 5, Clearances 5, Dribbles 3 @borussia pic.twitter.com/5zM7qbYiMm

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 26, 2014

Grades

Manuel Neuer, GK, FCB: A

Save after save, even between long spells of having nothing routine to do at all, showed just why he remains the best. Neuer saved Bayern's unbeaten record, even though his team dominated throughout.

World class save from Manuel Neuer. http://t.co/f2E3GK538g

— Football Vines (@Vine_Football) October 26, 2014

Andre Hahn, FW, BMG: B

The wide forward showed blinding pace, great work rate and plenty of end product with his decision-making, passing and shooting. He was an imperative part of Gladbach's tactical plan, and he performed faultlessly.

Xabi Alonso, MD, FCB: B

Alonso was running the show in the first half, finding time and space on the ball at every turn, but as the game wore on he couldn't pick the lock on the Gladbach defensive lines. He still put in a very good performance. But Kramer ran past him easily at times, and Alonso couldn't find that killer pass he wanted. 

Reaction

#Kramer "If #FCBayern hadn't had Neuer in goal, they would have had to swallow one or two goals" #BMGFCB

— Bundesliga_reporter (@rylandjames) October 26, 2014

Further reaction to follow shortly after full-time.

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