Bayern Munich – Javi Martínez The Unlikely Hero In UEFA Super Cup Victory

Bayern Munich has won their first title of the 2020/21 season. The Champions League winner defeated Europa League winners Sevilla 2-1 in extra-time in front of 15,000 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. The hero was Javi Martínez, the Spaniard headed home the winner in the 104th minute. 

Martínez was an unlikely hero in this match. Just one month after the Champions League victory, Bayern remains in reconstruction mode, and Javi Martínez has been among the players linked with a transfer away from the club. Earlier this week, a transfer to Athletic Bilbao appeared to be all but done but with the deal still pending, Martínez traveled to Hungary and became the hero for Bayern. 

“Javi scored the goal and won us the game,” Bayern head coach Hansi Flick said after the game. “Sometimes, football writes these stories – this is a beautiful one. On Wednesday there were reports that he was in Bilbao, yet tonight he scored the winning goal.”

For Martínez, it was already the second big goal at a UEFA Super Cup final. In 2013 the Spaniard scored an equalizer in the dying minutes against Chelsea to send the game first into penalties and Bayern on their way to the title. “It was like 2013 when I also scored a goal,” Martínez said. “So it was a nice feeling today. I always try to give everything, even if I only play 10 or 15 minutes.”

Martínez, in the meantime, was coy about his own personal future. “I don’t know what will happen in the next few days, but if I were to leave this way, it’s a dream,” Martínez said when asked about leaving the club to Movistar. “I don’t know,” he said when asked on whether he will join Bilbao. 

As for the game itself, Bayern started with plenty of energy in the first five to ten minutes, but an individual mistake by David Alaba would give Sevilla the lead. The Austrian had brought down Ivan Rakitić inside the box. Lucas Ocampos stepped up and scored the penalty. 

Bayern seemed unfazed with Sevilla’s lead. In the 34th minute, Leon Goretzka capped off a wonderful assist by Robert Lewandowski to equalize. “It took the first 15 minutes for us to get into the game,” Flick said. “It was great for me to see the team try to pull through with their mentality—and succeed. In the end, my players went through the pain barrier to win.”

Flick’s side was the better team. But it took another heroic effort by Manuel Neuer, who made a fantastic save in the 88th minute to secure extra-time, there Martínez became the hero when he headed home the winner. “I was so happy when the coach brought on Javi because I know how good he is with his head from set-pieces,” Neuer said after the game. 

Once again, it was Flick’s decision-making that made the difference. The head coach has quickly turned Bayern into the world’s best team. But that almost seemed secondary; Flick was spotted talking in length with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin at the title presentation. Flick had been somewhat critical about the game being played in Budapest in front of fans, saying that he would not have traveled there as a fan. 

“It was good to have an atmosphere in the stadium again,” Flick said after the game. “So everything looked a bit more like football again, we’re happy about that. Most importantly, I hope everyone will go back home healthy.” 

Overall, Flick already has his next targets in mind. On Sunday, Bayern will face Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga and then will have another opportunity to win a trophy in the DFL Supercup next Wednesday. On the transfer front, there are also decisions expected, Bayern wants to seal up the transfer of right-back Sergiño Dest and sign a number six and possibly another striker. 

Manuel Veth is the editor-in-chief of the Futbolgrad Network and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth