Scouting Report: Bayern Munich
Dominating is the only way to describe their season, which was the plan from the outset. Three years without a trophy was too much for the Bavarian giants to take and combined with Borussia Dortmund’s resurgence inspiring them, Bayern Munich’s board and staff set out to ensure that the trophy drought ended immediately. They won the league with six games left of 34 total, a new German record, and currently sit with 81 points (equaling the all time points total) out of an available 90, winning 26, drawing only three, and losing just once. In route they scored 89 goals (2.97 per game) and conceded a mere 14 (0.47 per game), besting by some distance any of the other current leaders in Europe’s top leagues. This is particularly true defensively, with FC Barcelona, Manchester United, and Juventus allowing 33 (1.03 per game), 35 (1.06 per game), and 20 (0.61 per game) goals respectively. In brief, Bayern Munich are good.
Bayern fell just short of the Champions League crown last season, in their home stadium. They battled to defeat Real Madrid in the semis only to dominate the final, concede a very late equalizer, miss a penalty in extra time, and then go down in the shootout to the seemingly preordained winner Chelsea. It is no exaggeration this shattered the Bayern players and contingent. The trophy has now eluded them since 2001. That was two years after the bamboozling 1999 defeat to Manchester United, again a match on the balance of play they merited to win. Since the 2001 conquest Bayern have lost in a further two finals. They are desperate for European glory.
The Leader
Jupp Heynckes, 67, will be vacating his post as manager over the summer. We know his replacement. Heynckes is as pedigreed a manager as you’ll find in the game with over 1,000 Bundesliga matches as player and then manager, the second highest ever. As a player during the 60s and 70s, he was a star striker in the golden era of Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning five league titles, one domestic cup, and one UEFA Cup. The goalscorer also won both the European Championship and World Cup with West Germany (as it was then) in 1972 and 1974 respectively. And no bit part player was he, Heynckes’s goal scoring ratio when compared to other Germans is only bettered by one, Gerd Müller.
Then began his illustrious and lengthy managerial career, unsurprisingly at his home club of Borussia Mönchengladbach. He was unable to secure a trophy during this initial eight year stint (1979 – 1987), but his ability was obvious enough that Bayern Munich came knocking. This would eventually be the first (1987-1991) of three stints at the Bavarian club during which he won two league and two domestic cup titles. Yet his departure deviates from the norm. Struggling financially, Bayern sold a host of players in his last season and could not afford Heynckes’s wages any longer.
He then began his managerial journey around the continent: Athletic Bilbao (1992-1994), Eintracht Frankfurt (1994-1995), Tenerife (1995-1997), Real Madrid (1997-1998), Benfica (1999-2000), Athletic Bilbao (2001-2003), Schalke 04 (2003-2004), Borussia Mönchengladbach (2006-2007), Bayern Munich (2009), Bayer Leverkusen (2009-2011) and finally back again to his current post. It was reported he was to retire this season, but of late stories have surfaced that he may continue in either Germany or England. Highlights during this span include leading Tenerife to the UEFA Cup semi-finals (1995), winning Real Madrid’s first Champions League in 32 years (1998), and two Intertoto Cups with Schalke 04.
But Heynckes will not go quietly into the night. The man known as “Osram”, after a German light manufacturing company due to the reddening of his face under stress, has already left his mark domestically and now plans one last hurrah. Listening to excellent reporter Raphael Honingstein over the years, it’s no surprise Bayern are where they are. After Pep Guardiola’s Barça lashed them 5-1 on aggregate, Bayern Munich’s directors recognized the distance they had fallen behind Europe’s elite and vowed to make up the gap. Large investment into star players and successful development of youth team players combined with managerial know-how like that of Heynckes has seen Bayern return to the upper echelon of the game. In fact Heynckes has modeled Bayern’s game and team on the FC Barcelona ethos, emphasizing possession and pressing. Don’t believe me, take the words of the man himself: ”If we do draw Barcelona, we’ll be ready. I know them like the back of my own hand, maybe even better than my own team … I know their philosophy, their system, their tactics and all their players.” For certain Barça will not be facing a desultory Bayern team.
So where exactly are they good and who is good?
Everywhere and everyone.
Between the sticks
Manuel Neuer joined Bayern in 2011 for 22 million euros making the 27-year-old the second most expensive goalkeeper of all time. At 6 foot 4 inches, he is dominant in the air yet has as agile reflexes as anyone. If Bayern continue their stingy defensive prowess domestically, Neuer is on route to conceding the fewest amount of goals over a Bundesliga season ever.
Defense
Ironically enough in seasons past the Bayern defense was clearly the weak point, much like the German national team. This was particularly relevant at the 2010 Champions League final against José Mourinho’s Internazionale Milan where Bayern were predictably defeated. Hans-Jörg Butt in goal was rather past his sell by date, yet it was the defensive pairing of Martín Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten that experts pointed to and said there was no way they could stop Inter. Furthermore, up and coming talent Hölger Badstuber was shifted out left and clearly looked out of position.
That was then. Demichelis was rightly dumped and Bayern brought in Rafinha (5.5 million euros) to deputize the wide positions and Jérome Boateng (13.5 million euros) from Manchester City to provide genuine quality in the middle and competent cover on the right. Yet arguably the most important defensive move was the recalling of youth team player David Alaba and recreating him as a left back. Immediately his quality was evident and now Alaba is recognized as one of the game’s premier talents in the position. Arguing that Alaba was not the critical defensive change is only possible thanks to new man Dante. The big Brazilian, with eight years of experience in Europe, is enjoying a fantastic debut season at the German champions and with a cost of under 5 million euros, he was a steal. Now while the epic game Championship Manager is too often detrimental to how football followers consider transfers, I often wonder why at times it is not more closely studied because Dante was one of those cheap pickups that became a monster defender. (And that is far from the only example of the game’s amazing predictive powers). A combination of physicality and ability, Dante is described by Honingstein as “a defender of quiet, unassuming elegance and unshakeable calmness, he has become the unlikely figurehead” of the team whose “dependability, athleticism and passing have taken Jupp Heynckes’s side that extra step further.” And let’s not forget the progress Badstuber has made since being a raw talent. From Butt, Lahm, Demichelis, Van Buyten, Badstuber in 2010 to Neuer, Lahm, Dante, Badstuber, Alaba in 2012 is chalk and cheese. Thankfully for Barça the young local boy Badstuber is injured but Van Buyten is currently in a purple patch of form.
Midfield
So while the defense is the most improved area, the midfield is comfortably the most stacked. Megastars like Arjen Robben, Franck Ribéry and Bastian Schweinsteiger barely warrant introduction. So when someone like Robben, with near 70 million euros in total transfers to his name, often rode the bench this season, it tells one there are options. Robben has his critics but when he’s on, I will argue to the end he’s almost unplayable. Then there are the younger guys like Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos, starters for both club and country. Müller may not be the most elegant but he has ingenuity and that unteachable knack of being in the right spot at the right time. Kroos may not feature at all over the series with an injury.
These midfielders above dictate tempo and catalyze attacking force so the more physical and defensive game is left to Basque man Javi Martínez, who Busquets described as the “key piece which the team needed”. So desperate were Bayern to sign him that they paid his buy-out clause, a hefty 40 million euros, a club and Bundesliga record.
The midfielders on the bench are worth noting as well. Luiz Gustavo, a 25-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder was a starter the prior season and showed his potential and ability. Then there is Swiss national Xherdan Shaqiri. The former Basel man caught the eye of many during the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League and so keen on his talent were Bayern they dropped near 12 million euros on the 20-year-old at the time. He’s quick, competitive, unafraid of contact, versatile, creative, and ambidextrous. Watch for this guy to become a true starter when Robben moves along.
Forwards
Mario Gómez scored 41 goals last season. So the obvious move was for Bayern to pull out their cheque books and sign Croatian Mario Mandžukić, who has usurped “Super Mario”. This move is an ideal simulacrum for Bayern’s ambition following the Champions League final hurt. Yes, Gómez scored 41 goals, but his immobility was seen as too harmful on Heynckes’s tactical plan and that was enough to have him replaced. Mandžukić is essential for Bayern’s pressing game so his absence tomorrow could prove more influential than most would have thought. Claudio Pizzaro, on his second stint at the club, provides experienced cover and a high probability of goals from the bench (four goals in five substitute appearances). Looking to the game, Gómez is more likely to start, as his height could prove deadly versus the shortest team in Europe.
All Guns Blazing
Bayern are coming off back to back 6-1 victories in the league, before that a 4-0 and barely a month ago a 9-2 hammering of Hamburg. The weekend 6-1 thrashing of Hannover was done without Lahm, Dante, Martínez and Schweinsteiger, and only 45 minutes each from Ribéry, Müller, and Robben. Mario Gómez and Claudio Pizzaro helped themselves to a brace apiece. Like I’ve said, Bayern are deep.
Conclusion
A hunger for success, a well crafted strategy, a seasoned leader and word-class professionals from one to eleven. Bayern will be Barça’s toughest test of 2012/13. In conclusion, Bayern Munich are good.
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