Bayern Munich: Takeaways from home win against Inter Milan
The group stage of the Champions League came to an end on a perfect note for Bayern Munich. The defending Bundesliga Champions clinched a 2-0 win against Inter Milan at Allianz Arena on Tuesday to keep their 100 percent win record in this year’s group stage of the Champions League.
It was not a vintage performance from Die Roten, but they did more than enough to beat a good Inter Milan side. Julian Nagelsmann will be pleased with the result and collective performances of the team, but here are the key three takeaways for the German coach from the win against Inter.
Josip Stanisic becoming a very good utility player
Nagelsmann heavily rotated the starting XI against Inter Milan since he wanted to give rest to tired players and playing time to fringe players. Josip Stanisic got the opportunity to start in the left-back position against Inter. The Croatian excelled in this role and produced a very good performance. Stanisic was secure on the ball and contributed at both ends of the pitch.
After Dayot Upamecano went off at the half-time mark, Satnisic moved into the heart of the defense, and Alphonso Davies played in the left-back position. The 23-year-old defender did a fine job in the central defense and helped his team to keep a clean sheet. Stanisic is becoming a very handy player for Nagelsmann due to his versatility. He has racked up 456 minutes of game time for Die Roten this season across all competitions. The playing time is likely to go up as the season progresses since Stanisic is turning out to be a very good utility player. (Stats courtesy: Transfermarkt)
Benjamin Pavard excels in central defense
Benjamin Pavard has been in the news this week for the wrong reasons, as reports emerged about him being frustrated at Bayern due to a lack of opportunities in central defense. The German media outlets also revealed that Pavard was charged with drink and driving in Munich a few weeks ago. Amidst all the chaos around the French defender, he delivered a very solid performance against Inter Milan.
Pavard started in central defense on Tuesday since Matthijs de Ligt and Lucas Hernandez were ruled out for the game. The former VfB Stuttgart defender excelled in and out of possession for Die Roten. He also ended up scoring the crucial first goal in the first half through a set piece. Pavard headed the ball into the net after a pinpoint delivery from Joshua Kimmich. Pavard managed to keep Inter forwards quiet for most of the game. He justified his desire to play as a central defender by excelling against Inter.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting needs to sign the new deal soon
Goals keep coming for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the Bavarian colours. The Cameroon international scored the crucial second goal to seal the victory in the second half. He has scored seven goals in the last six appearances across all competitions. His link-up play and decision-making in the final third were exquisite. He can’t do anything wrong in the Bayern shirt right now.
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Bayern should definitely look to extend his contract as soon as possible. His profile is very crucial for the squad since he gets the best out of other forwards. Considering the contract situation of Choupo-Moting (he becomes a free agent in the summer), Bayern needs to open contract talks before other big clubs come into the picture for the forward’s signature.