Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller is determined for European success
Thomas Muller is eyeing a Champions League title win for Bayern Munich under Niko Kovac this season.
Bayern Munich have started the 2018-19 season in the best possible way. Niko Kovac started his tenure at the club with an emphatic victory against his former club in the DFL Supercup, before leading the defending German champions to back-to-back Bundesliga wins. The Bavarians also clinched a narrow win in their first DFB Pokal match of the season against Dorchtersen/Assel.
The World Cup campaign for Bayern’s German players was very tough. The Germans’ title defense could hardly have gone worse, as they bowed out of the tournament in the group stages. While talking to Sport Bild, Bayern Munich and Germany stalwart Thomas Muller spoke about the disappointments of last season at both club and country level. The German forward wants to make this season memorable by winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich.
"“The World Cup and the unlucky loss against Real Madrid give us an additional drive and energy. We have the hunger for the UEFA Champions League, as well as Niko Kovac, a young and ambitious coach. “"
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Muller also insists that the team is not far away from winning the Champions League. The Bavarian believes that only luck kept them from winning their past two match-ups with Real Madrid. If everyone stays fit, he explains, then Bayern should be considered among the top contenders in Europe.
The last time Bayern lifted the Champions League title was in 2013, when they won the treble under Jupp Heynckes. Thomas Muller was a major part of that Bayern squad and hopes to find similar success with the club in the future.
The Bavarians haven’t reached the final of the Champions League since 2013 but have come close several times.
Pep Guardiola arrived at Bayern after Heynckes retired from game in 2013, and many expected the former Barcelona manager to lead Bayern to even more European success. However, the German giants were knocked out in the semifinals in each of Guardiola’s three seasons, once by each of Spain’s three major clubs.
After Guardiola’s departure, Bayern hired Carlo Ancelotti, another Champions League specialist. Ancelotti struggled at Bayern, though, and his sole Champions League campaign in Germany ended with a quarterfinals defeat against Real Madrid. He was sacked at the start of his second season at the club after a humiliating defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage.
Heynckes almost became Bayern’s UCL savior once again last season. The German manager set his team perfectly against Real Madrid in the UCL semifinals. However, poor finishing and individual errors in defense led to a narrow defeat against the Spaniards.
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Thomas Muller has struggled throughout the past two seasons. He hasn’t been at his match-winning best. Niko Kovac will be hoping that Muller finds his mojo this season and helps Bayern clinch their sixth Champions League title.