Bayern Munich’s loss of Lewandowski has only made them more flexible and adaptable
Robert Lewandowski ran riot in the Bundesliga with Bayern in his eight years of being the target man for the Bavarians. However, the player has left Bayern Munich to play for Barcelona. The process of his departure was messy and public. This was in stark contrast to Bayern Munich’s secrecy in their transfer dealings. After weeks of Bayern Munich management’s denial to sell their striker, the Bavarians had to give the green light on the insistence of Lewandowski. Everybody expected Bayern Munich’s attacking fire to decrease after this loss of their striker.
However, this was far from the reality in this case. When Bayern stepped up to play their first match of the season against Leipzig, they looked every bit dangerous as they were touted to be previously. Leipzig, on paper, has one of the strongest squads in the Bundesliga. However, they were completely dominated by Bayern and their new style of football. The Bayern Munich attack now looked more unpredictable than ever. Julian Nagelsmann brought back the fast-paced football which made him famous in Hoffenheim, to Bayern Munich.
Nagelsmann used a 4-2-2-2 formation which saw the idea of a target man abandoned. Their compactness allowed them to play vertical passes into the passing lanes created between the players. The key to the success of this system is the positional awareness and technical precision of the players in the Bayern squad. Sadio Mane can play as a central figure but it’s not his strongest suit. The manager relies on Mane’s positional awareness as he plays on alongside the other Musiala. Musiala has also stepped up his game this season and is now pivotal to the Bayern team. Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, and Kingsley Coman all thrive in a fast-paced style. So, it is no wonder Bayern looks better much better now.
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