FC Bayern celebrate a hard-earned victory against Royale Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League. FCBinside provides three insights into the match
On the penultimate matchday of the league phase , Bayern won 2-0 against the Belgians to book their place in the round of 16. The game provided the following insights
1. Bayern have made a huge leap forward
The win against the Belgians means Bayern can no longer be displaced from the top eight and have already secured a direct place in the round of 16, allowing the German record champions to avoid the play-offs that cost them so much energy last year
Coach Vincent Kompany’s side could even finish in first or second place on the final matchday at PSV Eindhoven, which would mean that they could always play at home until a possible semi-final in the second leg, which would be an additional major advantage given Bayern’s home strength
Overall, the picture in the Champions League is completely different to a year ago, and the league table in the top flight proves what a huge leap the team has made under Kompany
Last year, they were able to snatch supremacy from Leverkusen at national level, but the then new league mode in the Champions League clearly showed that Bayern were in danger of slipping into mediocrity in Europe. Now Munich are showing a different face again and are among the clear favourites for the title. Defeats like last year’s in the league phase against Barcelona, Aston Villa and Feyenoord would be hard to imagine in their current form
The game against Saint-Gilloise was undoubtedly a work in progress and rather unadorned, but other top teams sometimes slip up against underdogs like the Belgians – Bayern secured three points here too. That also shows a positive development under Kompany
2. Patience is one of Bayern’s great strengths
Bayern only decided the game in the second half, with the score still 0-0 at the break. This is a trend that has become apparent since the winter break: FCB win their games late
Bayern led Wolfsburg 2:1 at the break, then conceded six more goals to the Wolves in the second half. In Cologne, Munich even fell behind, only equalising shortly before half-time and winning 3:1 in the end. At RB Leipzig, they even trailed 0:1 at the break and still won 5:1 in the end
After the game against Saint-Gilloise, many of the protagonists were asked why Bayern were no longer quite as dominant as they were at the start of the season or why they always decide games so late on. Joshua Kimmich clearly addressed the weak first half against the Belgians, but also warned against „looking for the fly in the ointment“
He was right to do so. Bayern have put together a strong run after the winter break, even if they have lacked a lightness of touch at times. What counts, however, are the results. And the fact that Bayern always manage to wait for their chances and hit back is a sign of patience. This patience is currently one of Bayern’s greatest strengths
3. That was Kompany’s most important decision
Kompany made one key change to the starting line-up compared to the game in Leipzig: Tom Bischof switched from right to left-back, Raphael Guerreiro played on the right against Saint-Gilloise, while Joshua Kimmich started in central midfield, although he could also have filled in at right-back, where Bayern have an acute shortage of personnel following the injuries to Konrad Laimer and Josip Stanisic
Bischof did not cut a good figure in this position in Leipzig, especially in the first half. Leipzig had identified the right side of defence as their weak point and repeatedly put Bischof under pressure there. In addition, Lennart Karl played on the right side of attack in Leipzig before Bischof and at times criminally neglected his defensive duties
Against Saint-Gilloise, Kompany therefore deployed Bischof on the left, where, unlike on the right, he has already helped out several times this season. Bischof made a much more confident impression there. A big advantage: Luis Diaz, who is never too good for defensive duties, was working hard in front of him. Bischof therefore had much more support defensively
Basically, the youngster has a similar story to Konrad Laimer. The Austrian also actually came as a central midfielder and had to help out as a right-back so often until he became the absolute top man in this position. What Bischof still lacks compared to Laimer in defensive work, however, is the bite in tackles. The former Hoffenheim player undoubtedly has his strengths on the ball, but sometimes he is still too far away from his opponent and doesn’t get into the defensive duels
However, the game against Saint-Gilloise was a clear step forward for Bischof. Meanwhile, Guerreiro did his usual routine job on the right flank. With his strength on the ball, the Portuguese international is a reliable choice as long as he is not put under too much pressure
Bayern simply need Kimmich to continue playing in midfield, where he is much more important as a pacemaker than in his role as a substitute right-back. With Bischof on the left, Guerreiro on the right and Kimmich in the center, Bayern were secure at the back. Kompany made the most important decision of the game with this line-up.