Bayern Munich: the team to beat in Europe?

Thomas Mueller of Bayern Muenchen celebrates scoring the opening goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League Semifinal First Leg against Barcelona at Allianz Arena on April 23, 2013 in Munich, Germany. (Getty Images)

Coming into the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich were feeling confident, and they had every reason to be. They had recently waltzed away with the Bundesliga title and are on course for a record points tally. They also announced the signing of Mario Gotze for £32m from rivals Borussia Dortmund, but a stern test awaited them.

If they were to erase memories of last year’s devastating final defeat on their own ground against Chelsea from their minds, they would have to stop the most potent attacking team on the planet in Barcelona. Fortunately for outgoing manager Jupp Heynckes, they were up to the task, outperforming their opponents in an impressive 4-0 win.

The new force in world football?

Although talk of them being the world’s best club side is premature, even after last week’s result, could it be possible that Bayern are on their way to becoming the biggest superpower in Europe? The manner in which they bossed a defensively weak Barca side, not to mention how they sprinted clear of an impressive Dortmund team, points to a possible changing of the guard.

In recent years, Bayern have had to compete with Barca, Real Madrid, Manchester United, AC Milan and Juventus for the title of Europe’s biggest club, and have often fallen short. However, the hiring of former Barca coach Pep Guardiola for next season, signings like Gotze and Javi Martinez plus a more than healthy bank balance may lead to domestic and continental dominance.

Controlled aggression

During the game last week, Bayern managed to both stifle Barca’s offensive threat in the form of a clearly unfit Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Pedro Rodriguez, while they managed to take advantage of their opponents’ defensive frailties and created plenty of chances. A surprisingly good performance from frustrating winger Arjen Robben stood out.

Robben, with help from the ever-reliable Thomas Muller, managed to unlock the Barca back four time after time, and their four-goal haul, although slightly flattering, reflected their dominance. At the same time, their defence held firm, doing what they had to while ‘keeper Manuel Neuer had very little to do.

If Barca are to go through, they have no choice but to go all out and attack at every given opportunity. Against a mid-table La Liga side like Osasuna, it’s possible, but against a team of Bayern’s quality, they might score two or three but their defensive woes could see the Bavarian side steal a couple themselves on the break.