Wolfsburg-Bayern Analysis

Yeah, yeah, the Supercup is an artificial bit of preseason bling, and artificial bits of preseason bling don't necessarily reveal all that much about the seasons that follow. On the other hand, Bayern took the match very seriously, fielding arguably their strongest starting XI and coming out of the blocks determined to score.

They were unable to get an early goal. As the match wore on Bayern's players started rotating ever more frantically, presumably guided by Pep Guardiola's cryptically twitchy hand signals, but Wolfsburg settled into the match and toward the end of the first half were Munich's equals.

Bayern would have loved to send a signal to the team many tip to be their toughest rivals this campaign, but they failed. There is no doubt that Munich have the best squad but do they have the incisiveness and killer instinct needed to subdue teams like the Wolves who don't roll over in fear when they see opponents in red jerseys taking the pitch? After Saturday evening, that's a very open question.

Going, going, Götze?

He's a World Cup hero, one of the most coveted players in the world and is only 24 years old on June 3. So why does Mario Götze cut such a forlorn figure with the Bavarians? Guardiola seems to put no stock in him whatsoever. On Saturday, the former Dortmund stand-out got no more than a three-minute cameo.

Conversely, Götze doesn't seem in any hurry to step up and take responsibility. With Bayern looking to exorcise the demons from their penalty shoot-out defeat in last season's German Cup, the attacking forward Götze was nowhere to be seen near the spot. Both Bayern and the player have denied that he's going anywhere. But surely Götze needs a change of scenery, if only temporary, to get his club career back on track.

Costa benefit analysis

It wasn't a good night for Bayern, but the Bavarians will be heartened by the performance of new arrival Douglas Costa, a 30-million-euro transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk. As one eloquent follower of the match put it:

One problem the German champions did NOT have on Saturday was the absence of Franck Ribery. With both the Frenchman and Arjen Robben getting on a bit in years, Bayern look to have picked up the perfect replacement on the wings. Costa is a keeper.

Every Dane has his day

Thus far Nicklas Bendtner's career has been most notable for the Danish forward's recurring promises to become one of the greatest strikers in the known universe than any concrete steps taken in that direction. It's safe to say that not many Wolves fans leapt from their seats with glee when Bendtner was substituted in 15 minutes from time with his team trailing 1-0.

But the Dane was the centerpiece as the Wolves nicked (pun intended) the win. That raises an intriguing hypothetical situation. If Bendtner, whom the Wolves have tried and failed to unload, can finally live up to any of his potential, he would give the Wolves an additional option to hot-and-cold Bas Dost and new-kid-in-town Max Kruse. At 27, the Dane may have realized that he doesn't have infinite time to prove he deserves his nickname "Lord."

Belgian brilliance

If Bendtner is the lord-in-waiting, then playmaker Kevin de Bruyne - at least in the eyes of Wolfsburg fans - is full-fledged football god. The Belgian, who was just voted the Bundesliga's player of the year from the preceding season, was the epitome of hustle and level-headed leadership on the pitch.

Two major topics of discussion in the run-up to the Supercup were whether de Bruyne would be fit enough to play after some back pain and how long he would be playing for the Wolves amidst rumors that English side Manchester City are willing to pay 80 million euros for the 24-year-old.

Was de Bruyne's graft an expression of loyalty to his current club or an advertisement of his worth to potential suitors? It's impossible to say. One thing is certain: the Belgian looks set to become a superstar, whether he stays or leaves.