The UEFA Champions League returns this week, and Bayern Munich will be desperate to go deep in the competition after having suffered a humiliating thrashing at the hands of eventual winners Real Madrid in last season’s semi-finals. But was the lack of domestic competitiveness the reason for their European failure? And could it be a factor this campaign?
Last season, Bayern failed to win five of their 12 Champions League games played. It’s hardly the typical formidable form they’re accustomed to in the competition, and the ease in which they sealed the league title could well be a factor. Pep Guardiola’s men finished 19 points clear in the German Bundesliga in 2013/14.
With Bayern so far ahead in the title race, the players haven’t been consistently tested week after week, so the Guardiola’s men naturally won’t be at their best formwise. While winger Arjen Robben has been in fantastic scoring form this season, scoring 17 goals in 19 league starts, he’s hardly conditioning himself for a gruelling Champions League latter stages if he’s facing easy opponents every week.
When Bayern have been met with a strong European outfit this season, they have struggled. Manchester City beat the Germans 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium, while the Reds also came unstuck away to Shakhtar in the first-leg of the Champions League last-16.
The German giants have the second leg of their last-16 outing to Shakhtar on Wednesday evening, and they are unsurprisingly expected to go through. But should they reach the quarter-finals, the standard of quality will improve considerably, meaning Bayern will be faced with a high calibre of opposition.
Being challenged by world-class players will often bring out the best in the squad, but if Bayern aren’t used to being tested each week, how will they respond when the face a European elite? Last season answered the questions, as they lost both legs in the semi-finals to Real.
It can be argued that winning 3-0, 4-1, 6-0, and 8-0 will do nothing but boost confidence, but being embroiled in close affairs will get so much more from the players to prepare them for the challenge to come. Bayern are currently 11 points clear in the title race after 24 games, and haven’t come close to through their domestic aspirations away.
They have coasted through in the Bundesliga, and there’s always the risk they could struggle to meet the performance levels required in Europe as a result.
How will Bayern Munich fare in the Champions League?
