Bayern Munich steamrolled Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie at Stamford Bridge.
Bayern Munich went to Stamford Bridge and convincingly won 3-0 against Chelsea. The match had a high intensity as both Chelsea and Bayern pressed high up the pitch, creating problems for both teams. For most of the game, Bayern were able to break out of the pressure with the help of their midfield and get the ball to their attacking players. It wasn’t until the second half, when the game started to open up for Bayern and the goals started to come. Bayern kept up the pressure until the final whistle and never took their foot off the gas. It was a very impressive performance.
Bayern had their fair share of chances in the first half, but the score remained 0-0 going into the break. Serge Gnabry opened the scoring in the 51st minute after a beautiful reverse pass from Robert Lewandowski. He scored again in the 54th minute when Robert Lewandowski played a through ball to Gnabry. The German slotted the ball into the netting on the far side. Lewandowski got his own goal in the 76th minute from a beautiful run and cross by Alphonso Davies. Davies did all the work, beating several Chelsea defenders with his pace and squared the ball into the path of Lewandowski.
All Bayern fans were anxious for this match, given how the team played in last year’s round of 16 tie against Liverpool, but the team pulled through and showed just how far apart these two teams are. The next leg is home at the Allianz, and Bayern will look to put on another convincing performance, this time for the home fans. Here are four takeaways from this match in London.
Brilliant Individual Performances
One could make the argument for about half the team in this category, but there were three that earned recognition. The first is the midfield maestro, Thiago Alcantara. Placed in a midfield, next to Joshua Kimmich, Thiago was everywhere on the pitch, contributing to attack and defense. He made four tackles, completed 92 percent of his passes (Stats via WhoScored).
He bossed the midfield and dominated his counterparts. Although his performance wasn’t rewarded with a goal or assist, he was influential on the pitch. Anytime Chelsea tried to go through the middle of the pitch, Thiago was there waiting for them, forcing backward passes or out to the flanks, where the fullbacks could deal with them. It was a performance that proves Thiago is an undisputed starter in midfield for Bayern.
Arjen Robben is nicknamed Mr. Wembley for his performance in the 2013 Champions League final. So, at what point will Serge Gnabry be nicknamed Mr. London? In two matches this season in London, Gnabry has six goals against Tottenham and Chelsea. His first half left much to be desired, but he was brilliant in the second half.
Scoring two goals in the first 10 minutes after the break gave Bayern the lead they deserved after their performance in the first half. Gnabry continued to put pressure on the defense until the final whistle. His link-up play with Lewandowski is improving every match as he torched the right side of Chelsea’s defense. His pairing with Davies on the left is going to be a problem for opposing teams for years to come.
And lastly, Robert Lewandowski earned the man of the match award. One goal and two assists are the reason Bayern come away from London with the big win. Every aspect of his abilities was on full show this match. His ability to hold up play, play other players on, drag defenders to specific spots away from the point of attack, his willingness to come into the midfield and receive the ball and his ability to time runs into the box to score were in full effect. Lewandowski is so crucial to what Bayern wants to do and will be a pivotal piece in their title challenge.
Midfield Dominance
A common question that had come around since Hansi Flick’s appointment as interim manager was who was going to start in midfield in the important matches? Well, it seems recent performances gave fans the answer, and that partnership of Kimmich and Thiago wreaked havoc in this match.
Kimmich and Thiago were both incredible and dominated Chelsea’s midfield. With Thomas Muller in an attacking midfield role, it was largely up to these two to get through Chelsea’s lines, and they did it with ease. By themselves, neither player is incredibly adept at defending, but together, with an expansive passing range and clever positioning, they were able to beat Chelsea’s press easily.
The hosts played with four central midfielders, two attacking and two deep-lying midfielders, while Bayern played with just three. Their width came from two wingbacks- Reece James and Marcos Alonso, while Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho played as the holding midfielders. It seemed as if head coach Frank Lampard set the team up to shore up the defense, playing with three defenders, and overload the midfield.
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This move backfired for the English side as Bayern midfielders sprayed long passes out to the wingers, completely bypassing this midfield, and exploiting the space behind Chelsea’s wingbacks. These two players were in top form and played at the highest level. If Bayern continues this run of form in the Champions League, then there should be some comparisons between this midfield and the 2012/2013 combination of Martinez and Schweinsteiger.
A discussion of Bayern’s midfield would not be complete without talking about Thomas Muller. Muller, like Thiago, didn’t get on the score sheet, but his performance can’t be downplayed. He continued his raumdeutering with storming runs into the box and exploiting space in the final third.
Bayern’s first goal would not have happened if it wasn’t for Muller, and he didn’t even touch the ball. Gnabry ran towards the defense with the ball, and passed it to Lewandowski going to the left, who then passed it back for Gnabry in the center of the box to tap in the net. However, the space for Gnabry was due to Muller’s run from the right flank, dragging Antonio Rudiger away from the central area. He kept on linking up the play brilliantly and almost got himself a goal with few good attempts.
Solid Defensive Performance
Chelsea do not have an elite attacking force, and several of their players were injured, but that does not take away anything from the performance of Bayern’s defenders, specifically Jerome Boateng and Alphonso Davies. Boateng’s improvement over the past few months has been incredible to watch. He is starting to look like the world cup winning center back of 5-6 years ago. His ability to win headers off of set pieces and goal kicks was instrumental. The German defender’s instinctual ability to know which passing lanes to step in helped Bayern shut down a couple of Chelsea attacks.
It should also not go without mentioning how Hansi Flick has Boateng deployed on the backline. When the team is pressing ahead, he sits back as the last person before Manuel Neuer in a stopper role, allowing the full-backs and David Alaba, his central defense partner, to push forward into the attack. Putting Boateng in this position also prevents him from being caught on a counter-attack and also keeps a player in the back to potentially slow down counter-attacks when they do happen. It wasn’t too long ago when Boateng was considered to be too slow or an extreme liability for Bayern. Since the winter break, Flick has been able to figure out a way to have Boateng in the lineup and use him correctly.
Would a discussion about Bayern’s defense in 2020 be complete without Alphonso Davies? Just like every game since moving to left-back position, Davies shone in this match. His ability to run the flank and also just flat out run past people was critical for Bayern’s success in this match.
The third goal was 100 percent down to Davies’s ability to run through the right side of Chelsea’s defense. He is getting better with every passing game and has unquestionably become a top-5 left-back in the world. At some point in the next few weeks, he deserves a rest; Alaba can slot back into left-back. And then the question should be asked when everyone on the backline is healthy, who starts at left-back? It is certainly an interesting debate.
A permanent coach in the making
Since the win against Borussia Dortmund back in November, Bayern fans have started to warm to the idea of having current interim manager Hansi Flick getting the full-time job. However, there was always the question of how the team would play in Europe under him. When the tie against Chelsea was announced, fans started circling this match-up on their calendars.
It became clear from both fans and the Bayern hierarchy that Flick’s permanent appointment would, fairly or not, be largely determined by the team’s performance in this match. It’s safe to say that the coach and team passed this test with flying colors. The tie is not over yet. The world has seen crazy comebacks in CL before, but Flick has made a big statement for his case to become the permanent guy.
Almost every player on Bayern’s roster has improved and found their top form. Players such as Thiago, Thomas Muller, and Leon Goretzka oftentimes looked lost on the pitch and looked like they weren’t going to last much longer at Bayern. Since Flick’s appointment, these players have turned a corner and have been putting in world-class performances. There were even rumors that Muller could be returning to the German national team. Thiago looks like a renewed midfield general, and Goretzka is on track to become one of the next great Bayern midfielders.
It is not just these three as almost all the players have improved, and Flick has transformed Bayern from a European disappointment into a team that looks like it could legitimately contend for the Champions League title. Flick should be given the long term position in the next few weeks. He has certainly earned it.