Union Berlin were torn apart under the Allianz Arena floodlights. Seven goals conceded, no reply, and very little mercy from a Bayern Munich side that smelled blood from the opening whistle.
On the pitch, it was brutal. Off it, Union chose humour as their shield.
Kane and Olise run wild
Harry Kane and Michael Olise dismantled Union almost at will. Kane struck twice, Olise helped himself to a hat-trick, and Bayern turned a Bundesliga fixture into a statement performance.
For Union, there was nowhere to hide. So their social media team did what modern clubs often do when the scoreline turns ugly: they leaned into the chaos.
The unlikely target? Lamine Yamal.
“Couldn’t that 19-year-old rascal from Barcelona have just kept his mouth shut? Kane and Olise are really on fire today and proving that they are Ballon d’Or material,” Union Berlin posted on X, adding a knowing wink to underline the joke.
The gag hinged on Yamal’s recent comments in the Ballon d’Or debate, where the Barcelona prodigy had put himself forward as a leading contender and fired a thinly veiled shot at Kane.
Irony missed, backlash follows
Not everyone scrolling through X picked up the irony. Some users criticised Union for seemingly blaming the Barcelona star for a 7-0 humiliation in Munich.
Union did not back down. The reply was as dry as their original post was cheeky: “Humour is not for everyone.”
They stayed with the bit. After the final whistle and the damage was fully done, the club account posted again, this time trying to keep a safe distance from any incoming fire from Spain:
“Please let this tweet steer well clear of Barcelona. I’m not ready for angry Catalans after this away trip.”
A heavy defeat, a bruised ego, and a social media department determined to laugh through the pain.
Yamal’s Ballon d’Or jab at Kane
Behind the banter sat a very real flashpoint. Speaking to Jorge Valdano on Movistar Plus, Yamal had made it clear he views himself as one of the favourites for the Ballon d’Or.
“I think the Ballon d’Or should go to the best player in the world, full stop,” he said, stressing that the award should not be reduced to a simple tally of goals.
The implication was obvious. Kane, last season’s Golden Shoe winner, scored 73 competitive goals and still found his credentials questioned by a teenager who prefers a broader definition of greatness.
Kane’s response came in the most traditional way a centre-forward knows. Against Union, he hit his 100th and 101st Bundesliga goals, setting a new record and reinforcing his place in the conversation Yamal had tried to reshape.
Olise, with his own dazzling display, has also forced his way into that same discussion. Between them, Kane, Olise and Yamal now sit firmly among the names being mentioned in the Ballon d’Or race.
In Munich, though, there was no debate. The scoreboard delivered the only verdict that mattered.
