Bayern Munich: Four takeaways from emphatic 3-1 win over PSG

Bayern Munich get revenge on PSG, defeating them 3-1 at the Allianz Arena. Here are four takeaways from the exciting match.

Sven the Wall

This one comes first, because if it wasn’t for Sven Ulreich, Bayern Munich very well could have lost this match. No, he didn’t keep a clean sheet, but he did come up big against Neymar, Mbappe, Cavani and co.

He made several important saves, his distribution was great and even came way out of his box in Manuel Neuer fashion to sort out some threatening balls over the top.

Bayern’s second-choice between the sticks has come a long way since first filling in for Neuer. At this rate, it’s going to be difficult for the club to keep him in Munich after the captain’s return. Several clubs will be all too willing to make him a much-deserved first-choice goalkeeper.

The French connection

Three of the nation’s biggest young talents were on display in this high-profile match-up. And all three stepped up in a big way. Kylian Mbappe was PSG’s most threatening attacking force all game and eventually scored les Parisiens’ only goal.

The other two young Frenchmen? Corentin Tolisso and Kingsley Coman, of course. Playing against France’s biggest club, it’s fitting that Bayern Munich’s two best players were both French. And that’s exactly what Coco and Co-man were: Bayern’s best players.

Tolisso became Bayern’s most expensive signing this past summer. Since his move to the Bavarian capital, the midfielder has shown many glimpses of his potential but never quite fully hit the mark. Yesterday, that changed.

Alongside the more defensive minded Sebastian Rudy in midfield, Tolisso played like a man possessed. He was all over the pitch, making fantastic runs, playing expert passes and always looking to turn Bayern’s possession into attack. His defense could still use some work, sure. But Coco stepped up against one of Europe’s biggest clubs and gave his best display yet in a Bayern jersey.

Kingsley Coman, on the other hand, simply continued in his excellent vein of form. He was Bayern’s most threatening attacker throughout the match, terrorizing PSG’s full-backs with every touch.

His fantastic, Dani-Alves’-career-ending run down the left flank and subsequent assist for Tolisso’s second goal was easily the highlight of the match and one of die Roten‘s most impressive goals this season.

Both players gave excellent arguments for more playing time and will surely be rewarded with it. Jupp Heynckes was full of praise for both after the match, saying both consistently give him plenty of reason to start them.

Jupp Heynckes is a wizard

Speaking of Jupp Heynckes, the German manager deserves some serious credit for the win. When Bayern’s starting line-up was announced yesterday, many were shocked. His midfield pairing of Rudy and Tolisso, Niklas Sule starting over Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller being left on the bench were all at least somewhat shocking decisions.

However, the results show he got it all right. Bayern may not have got the 4+ goal victory they needed to win their group, but they got an emphatic victory over a full-strength PSG. That’s huge.

Jupp’s faith in Coco Tolisso proved, in particular, to be a coaching masterclass. Niklas Sule put in a solid shift in central defense as well. Doing so against arguably the world’s most threatening attack will be a boost in confidence as big as the German himself.

Compare this with the abysmal display Bayern gave against the same team under Carlo Ancelotti back in September and it’s plain to see just how much of a difference Heynckes has made since returning to Bayern.

The diversity of James Rodriguez

Finally, one of the big reasons behind Jupp’s success at the club is his integration of Colombian superstar. Under Heynckes, James has most often been deployed in his favorite position in attacking midfield. Rather than consigning him to one specific role, Heynckes gives Rodriguez the freedom to roam where he pleases.

James takes full advantage of that freedom, too. He doesn’t only use this positional freedom to roam freely throughout the attacking third. He often drops deep into Bayern’s midfield to get the ball and build-up play out of the back, also putting in significant defensive work.

That’s exactly what the Colombian did against PSG. He dropped deep into the midfield to win the ball back and build up play out of the back. He roamed out wide, spending a significant amount of time on the left wing, and even grabbed an assist from his precision cross from the left flank.

Next: Bayern Munich get revenge on PSG -- Player grades

After Bayern sacked Carlo Ancelotti (who played a big part in bringing James to Munich), many doubted the Colombian’s future at the club. However, like many, he’s only improved since the Italian left the club. He’s become a huge asset for his new club and is proving a key player for Jupp Heynckes.