Bayern Munich: Defensive Midfielders To Consider
By Tamhas Woods
Leandro Barreiro
Alternatively, the chiefs at the Allianz Arena may wish to seek somebody closer to home. Mainz wouldn’t be a bad place to start if so, judging by the character they showed to hold Dortmund to a draw on the final day to Bayern’s benefit. However, it’s not just a mere sense of karma that might see the Reds’ search for a bargain-category number six end with Barreiro.
The 23-year-old midfielder has been a regular 90-minute player under Bo Svensson so far during 2023, making him an integral part of the 05ers’ post-World Cup recovery. An outstanding run saw them go unbeaten in the league between February 11 and April 22. The latter of those days was Bayern’s 3-1 humbling at Mainz after a halftime lead, with Barreiro himself netting the goal that proved decisive.
That also marked Mainz’s last game in a blistering run of 15 Bundesliga clashes that saw them unfailingly find the net. In the case of that stunning result back in April, Barreiro thrived in a 3-4-3 setup, playing to his ability to distribute the ball quickly and keep the opposition guessing as to which channels he would explore.
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It is a key skill unendingly demanded of Bayern Munich defensive midfielders, and with no shortage of willing runners in the Reds’ front line, Barreiro’s estimated price makes him a low-risk but potentially high-yield signing.