The debate continues regarding who is Europe’s best team.
Champions League winners Real Madrid are the obvious contenders for the crown but as we have seen in the past, the winner of Europe’s premier competition is not always the strongest team – Liverpool in 2005 and Chelsea in 2012 are prime examples.
Four-time European Champions Bayern Munich have underachieved in recent years with a gaping hole in the trophy cabinet that has not been filed despite the quality of the squad.
Bayern’s squad has been a working project since 2010. The failure to win the Champions League final against Inter Milan in 2010 resulted in a mass reshuffle at the club with youth players being added to the squad of players who were at the peak of their game.
Many of Germany’s hottest prospects were snapped up swiftly, like Manuel Neuer. Now the longevity of Bayern’s project has paid dividends as the club are now enjoying the most successful form in the club’s prestigious history.
Manuel Neuer in goal has proved his worth when so many experts branded Bayern foolish for paying a record €22million to Schalke 04 to sign the German international. Has there ever been better money spent on a transfer fee at Bayern? You would have to go a long way to find such a bargain. Five years later, Bayern
Five years later, Bayern have the greatest goalkeeper on the planet. Neuer is that good he has changed the landscape of goalkeeping forever. Not even Real Madrid, Manchester United or Barcelona could lay claim to having a better goalkeeper than Neuer in the past ten years.
In-front of every great goalkeeper stands an even better defence. Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Joshua Kimmich remain the heartbeat of both their club side and German national team. The centre-back pairing of Boateng and Hummels has been so successful internationally and there is now no reason why the pair can’t establish themselves as Europe’s finest either. Kimmich looks set to eventually replace the aging Phillip Lahm, who is still producing at the highest level.
Juan Bernat, Holger Badstuber, Rafinha are also names that are more than capable of filling in – not bad for replacements.Along with these star-studded names in defence, Bayern hold claim to the best pound for pound player in the world at the moment in David Alaba. The Austrian left-back has taken Bayern on to another level at times and his versatility saw him flourish under Pep Guardiola as Bayern manager.
Alaba has contributed with key goals in crucial times for Bayern recently and was subject of a €60million bid from Real Madrid during the summer that was rejected to no great surprise.
In comparison to other great teams in Europe, key players missing in a defensive structure would cause a major headache for any manager but at Bayern Munich, the star-studded squad has numerous options to fill in.
Experience and youth surround the midfield of the Bundesliga champions. Xabi Alonso, Arturo Vidal and Javi Martinez are some of Carlo Ancelotti’s options in midfield along with some of Europe’s most talented young players. Renato Sanchez was snapped up this summer after a sensational season at Benfica; the Portuguese midfielder joins Thiago in competing for places at the Allianz Arena.
The technique and vision of such players like Alonso, Thiago and Martinez means Bayern can control any team they face. Add this to the blend of power, strength and aggression of Renato Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, and you have a special formula for success.
Scarily, defenders such as Phillip Lahm and David Alaba have regularly played in midfield further enhancing the versatility and strengthen the argument of the German giants holding all the strengths to become successful in the UEFA Champions League once again.
Whatever was mentioned regarding midfield and defence, it’s nothing compared to Bayern’s attacking options. Youth, experience, prime. Bayern have it all. The deadly finishing of Robert Lewandowski spearheads Munich’s attack. If you said the Polish forward was the best striker in Europe then you may not be far wrong. His move from Borussia Dortmund caused much controversy but he has since proved why Bayern were so keen to snap him up in 2014.
Lewandowski would struggle to find the net without the help of his wide-men. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery have been consistently producing at the highest level for more than a decade with both players have been involved in almost 300 goals combined in their Munich careers. Even now in crucial games, both Robben and Ribery regularly feature despite them both being well into their 30s.
On the other hand, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Muller and Douglas Costa add to the already brilliant attacking-options that have devastated German football in recent years. Muller’s ability to score crucial goals at important times has made him one of Europe’s most feared predators. Costa and Coman were both snapped up by Guardiola as Bayern prepare for the eventual departures of Ribery and Robben.
Now if anyone needs any further explanation as to why this side is the best in Europe then some may need to think a lot deeper. From strength, versatility, finesse and class, Bayern Munich are undoubtedly the strongest team in Europe with one of the finest managers in the world.
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