FC Bayern: Company’s system weakness strikes fully with the B-Elf

For a moment, it looked like an experienced screenwriter had delivered a script for the evening that guarantees maximum emotions. FC Bayern was 0-1 against Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final since the 38th minute, when coach Vincent Kompany switched three fresh players: Sacha Boey, Serge Gnabry and Thomas Müller were supposed to bring the turn against the Italian champion. It was felt on the TV screen that the big miller moment could finally have come in the Allianz Arena. The stadium was like electrified and chanted “Müller-Müller”.

Ten minutes later something happened that was not to be beaten in terms of drama and kitsch: Müller scored the goal to 1: 1 in a typical Müller manner (excellent positional game, ball stokes over the line). The goal of the Eternal Bavaria, which in the summer does not get a new contract after a memorable career, triggered a real feeling explosion in the ranks. At that moment it seemed as if coach Kompany had done everything right and Bayern asserted themselves against a strong opponent despite their many failures.

The belief in it lasted exactly three minutes. A counterattack by the Italians that Davide Frattesi completed the 2-1 final score brought the disillusionment: instead of a Müller fairy tale, it set a defeat. Instead of having a pleasure feelings, there was deep disappointment with the protagonists. You know: the chances of turning the result in the second leg in Milan and entering the semi -finals are rather low. This threatens to end in the quarter -finals, far too little for Bayern’s demands.

The extraordinary evening has made it clear: fairy tales are rare in football, and the Bayern squad is not wide and good enough to meet the highest demands in the Champions League. The failures of Dayot Upamecano, Alphonso Davies, Hiroko Ito, Jamal Musiala, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Kingsley Coman weighed too hard. Put and overview were missing, especially on the defensive. Josip Stanisic, Sacha Boey and Eric dier were too slow. But Minjae Kim also had problems at high speed. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was also missing, but substitute Jonas Urbig had nothing to do with the defeat, but played solidly. The lack of opportunities for opportunities (Harry Kane will think of his post shot for a long time!) Was also not ideal, but is not the main problem.

Bayern could be cordoned with the goals conceded. After a well-played attack, the leading goal of the Italians fell over the right Bavarian side, there was a lack of pressure on the ball-leading Milanese, which had too much space. The weakness on the defensive became even clearer in the second goal. The Bayern defense only ran afterwards, and the walking paths were also wrong (Boey). Such a goal might not have liked players like Upamecano and Davies.

However, there are even deeper reasons for defeat than the long list of injuries. The defensive was the Achilles verses in the offensive system of coach Kompany from the start. The deficit was clearly recognizable at the beginning of the season. The exciting offensive power faced a partially amateurish defense. Kompany got the problem under control. Against Bayer Leverkusen in the eight -finals of the Champions League, the coordination between attack and defense worked almost perfectly. The Bavarians won 3: 0 and 2: 0 – the goal was missed.

But the injury -related failures have revealed the system weakness again. In the second row, the trainer lacks the suitable players to successfully implement their offensive football at the highest level. In the end, no miller used it.