This has not been a vintage season by any means for
Bayern Munich.
The Bavarian club is at risk of losing the Bundesliga
title for the first time since 2012.
Their over-dependence on Robert Lewandowski has only
become more prominent as the season has gone on. The Pole has scored 25 of
Bayern’s 60 goals in all competitions thus far.
Niko Kovač, who took over as Bayern head coach at the
beginning of the season, almost lost his job just a few months ago.
So, it was no surprise that heading into the first leg of
their round of 16 Champions League tie against Liverpool, Bayern were viewed as
the clear underdogs – a position they seldom find themselves in.
But as the Reds found out, write off Bayern Munich at
your own peril. Bayern left Anfield with a 0-0 draw, and with the second leg to
be played at the Allianz Arena, they suddenly seem likely to reach the
Champions League quarterfinals for the eighth consecutive year.
Bayern’s consistency in the Champions League is
absolutely staggering.
Not only have they made it to the last eight in each of
the last seven campaigns, they have also done so in all but three seasons since
2005. Even more remarkable is the fact that in all but two seasons since 2010,
Bayern have reached the semifinals.
This is a testament to the remarkable team culture and
spirit that has been built in Munich. No other team in world football, apart
from Barcelona and Real Madrid, even comes close, and this is what separates
great clubs from legendary clubs.
Now, don’t misunderstand me. Teams such as Juventus,
Manchester United, AC Milan, and Liverpool, just to name a few, are great,
historic clubs with many honours to their name and tremendous club legacies.
However, Bayern are, in my opinion, one of an exclusive
club of three. They are the sort of team about which, no matter the era or the
squad, you just have this sense that somehow, some way, they will figure things
out and be all right in the end. While some of the other teams I mentioned have
had this “aura” at certain points in their history, none of them have had it be
a constant feature of their team the way Bayern have.
This once again goes back to team culture. Consider the
fact that, despite having all-time greats such as Arjen Robben, Robert
Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer, and Thomas Müller among their squad members, this is
a comparatively egoless team. All their stars have been willing to buy in and
put the team before individual glory.
Bayern have always been more about the collective than
the individual. From Franz Beckenbauer to Gerd Müller to Lothar Matthäus to
Oliver Kahn and many others besides, Bayern’s superstars have always set the
tone of the team’s culture in a positive way, and this has always translated to
results on the field.
Arguably the greatest example of this culture of winning
was shown in Bayern’s 2001 Champions League semifinal victory over Real. On
paper, Bayern seemed to have no shot. This was a Real team boasting players
such as Raúl, Roberto Carlos, Luís Figo, and Claude Makélélé. On the other
hand, Bayern’s only genuine superstar at the time was Kahn. Yet, despite
Bayern’s clear talent disadvantage, they not only won the tie, but did so by
beating Real in both legs, winning 1-0 and 2-1 respectively.
This is a big reason why many rising stars want to play
for Bayern. They know that the exemplary team atmosphere will do their budding
careers a world of good. In their current squad, players such as Thiago
Alcântara, Ribéry, Niklas Süle, and Renato Sanches were all 24 years old or
younger when they joined. Each of them has since seen their careers go from
strength to strength, and Ribéry has even become one of Bayern’s greatest
players ever.
As a Borussia Dortmund fan, it pains me a little to say
this, but greatness has to be recognized and applauded, and Bayern Munich have
been truly great for an almost-unbroken stretch of nearly 50 years.
Do not be surprised if Bayern go on to win their sixth
Champions League title this season.
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