Bayern Munich's Shaqiri Shines As Captain In Pre-Season Triumph Over Thun - Nancy Richard

Bayern Munich's Shaqiri Shines as Captain in Pre-Season Triumph Over Thun

Bayern Munich's pre-season preparations took another positive step forward on Saturday as they emerged victorious from a friendly against Swiss Super League side Thun. The match also marked a significant milestone for Xherdan Shaqiri, who captained the Bundesliga champions for the first time.

Shaqiri Impresses in Captaincy Debut

Despite being a relative newcomer to the Bayern squad, Shaqiri demonstrated impressive leadership qualities as he guided his team to a comfortable 3-1 victory. The Swiss international was heavily involved in the match, creating several chances for his teammates and scoring the opening goal himself.

Shaqiri's performance earned praise from Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann, who said: "I was very impressed with Xherdan's performance today. He showed great maturity and led the team very well. It's a good sign for us going forward."

Thun Offer Stiff Resistance

While Bayern ultimately proved too strong for their Swiss opponents, Thun put up a spirited fight and made life difficult for the German giants at times. The hosts took the lead early in the second half through a well-taken goal from David Roth.

However, Bayern's quality eventually shone through, with Shaqiri leveling the scores just three minutes later. Further goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Leroy Sané secured the victory for the Bundesliga champions.

Positives for Bayern

The pre-season friendly against Thun provided Bayern with several positives ahead of the new campaign. Shaqiri's captaincy performance was particularly encouraging, as was the team's ability to come from behind to win the match.

Nagelsmann also praised the performance of his young players, several of whom featured in the starting lineup. The likes of Jamal Musiala, Joshua Zirkzee, and Paul Wanner impressed with their energy and creativity.

Areas for Improvement

Despite the positive outcome, there were also areas where Bayern can improve. Thun's goal highlighted some defensive deficiencies that the team will need to address before the start of the new season.

Nagelsmann admitted that his team "still needs to improve our defensive organization." He added: "We gave away too many chances today."

Conclusion

Bayern Munich's pre-season triumph over Thun was a positive step forward for the Bundesliga champions. Shaqiri's impressive captaincy debut and the team's ability to come from behind to win the match were particularly encouraging.

However, there are also areas where Bayern can improve, particularly in their defensive organization. Nagelsmann will be working hard to address these issues before the start of the new campaign.