FC Bayern secured a home win against 1. FC Köln in the Bundesliga ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg against FC Arsenal. FCBinside provides three insights into the match.
FC Bayern celebrated a successful dress rehearsal for Wednesday’s Champions League clash against FC Arsenal at the Allianz Arena with a 2-0 win against FC Köln. The match against Cologne provided the following insights.
1. Bayern must get the injury crisis under control
Bayern are experiencing an unbelievable series of injuries this season. There have been well over 30 absentees this season, with Mathys Tel the only professional in the entire squad to remain uninjured this season.
Against Cologne, Kingsley Coman was hit (again). Once again it’s a muscle injury, like the majority of Bayern’s injuries this season. The injury problem could cost Bayern all their titles.
In the Bundesliga, there were phases in which coach Thomas Tuchel had no real alternatives on the bench, injured players had to play in pain and the remaining players sometimes had to help out in positions that were unfamiliar to them. Example: Leon Goretzka at centre-back.
In the first leg at Arsenal FC, Tuchel was able to draw from the full squad to some extent, but since then there have been new absentees. Serge Gnabry suffered another torn muscle fibre in London, now Coman is also out and Leroy Sané is doubtful for the second leg.
In the most important game of the year on Wednesday, the offence will practically line up on its own again. Bayern managers have emphasised several times in the past week that they now want to get to the bottom of the injury problem and are currently investigating the causes. A little late, you might say.
Above all, Tuchel explained that no solution had yet been found. However, Tuchel smiled at the fact that TV pundit Dietmar Hamann attributed the many injuries to too little training. „Didi knows, of course,“ replied the coach sarcastically.
But: Muscle injuries can actually be avoided or minimised with the right training regime. Torn muscle fibres, for example, often occur when the muscle is put under too much strain after a poor warm-up.
Tuchel and his team are responsible for training. The fact that these injuries have become more frequent in Tuchel’s first full season as Bayern coach is a fact. The medical department, the physios, naturally also bear responsibility.
Bayern must act quickly here. There’s no point in only making changes on the player side if the new stars then miss half the season through injury.
2. Tel deserves a chance
If Leroy Sané does get fit in time for the Arsenal game, Tuchel will probably rely on him, Jamal Musiala and Thomas Müller in the attacking line-up behind Harry Kane. Müller also put in a strong performance against Cologne and can justifiably hope to play in the Champions League second leg.
But Mathys Tel also deserves minutes. He was an invigorating element against Cologne and caused a stir on several occasions. The young Frenchman often lacks determination in front of goal and was unlucky to hit the post on one occasion.
Tel could do Bayern good against Arsenal: he can keep up with the high tempo that the Londoners will once again set. The 18-year-old is always taking risks – with cheeky dribbles or skilful short passes. That enriches Bayern’s game.
Before his contract extension at FC Bayern, Arsenal were rumoured to be very interested in Tel. A sign that the youngster was believed to be capable of playing Arsenal football. Now he could bring these qualities to Bayern on the other side. And show the Gunners in Wednesday’s game that they were not wrong in their assessment of him.
3. Mazraoui is a risk to the Arsenal game
Due to Alphonso Davies‘ yellow card suspension, Tuchel will need a new left-back against Arsenal. There are two candidates, as the coach made clear at the press conference ahead of the Cologne game: Raphael Guerreiro and Noussair Mazraoui.
Mazraoui is a trained right-back, but was supposed to warm up on the left flank for Arsenal against Cologne. With moderate success: Mazraoui visibly struggled in this position and allowed opponents to move several times. He did not achieve anything going forward.
What should speak in favour of the Moroccan is the speed disadvantage that Guerreiro could have against the nimble Bukayo Saka from Arsenal. On the other hand, Davies is Bayern’s fastest player, yet he was obviously identified by Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta as the weak point of Bayern’s defence in the first leg in London, especially in the build-up play. The Londoners‘ stars repeatedly offered Bayern the free pass to Davies in the first leg, only to put him under massive pressure.
That wouldn’t work with Guerreiro, whose strengths lie not in running but on the ball. In addition, as a left-back, he always looks for a way into midfield, where he could create an overload for Bayern.
Mazraoui – despite his speed advantage over Guerreiro – already had his problems against Cologne. In the Champions League against one of the best teams in Europe, his deployment in this position could represent a major risk for FC Bayern.