Konrad Laimer and Dayot Upamecano are currently indispensable.
Apart from the 39-year-old Manuel Neuer turning back the clock on Tuesday to be beaten only once despite the best efforts of PSG, two players who especially blunted the efforts of the Parisians were Konrad Laimer and Dayot Upamecano.
Konrad Laimer
Unlike two of his more illustrious teammates, namely Harry Kane and Michael Olise, Konrad Laimer’s name may never be mentioned in discussions about the Ballon d’or, but if goals were not the deciding factor in football and the season ended now then Konrad Laimer would arguably be Bayern’s MVP of the season.
To many, Laimer may be viewed as a valuable utility player. In reality, he has been the player making Bayern tick this season. His performance on Tuesday was yet another reminder of his importance to the success of the team. The box-to-box midfielder cum full-back was a thorn in the side of any player he defended against on Tuesday. His energy and determination set the tone for the entire defense.
What makes the 28-year-old Austrian truly invaluable in Kompany’s system is his capacity to contribute at both ends of the pitch both in and out of possession. Bayern’s Austrian Army Knife is also their version of the Energizer Bunny.
Dayot Upamecano
Dayot Upamecano has been one of the best center-backs in world football for the last 18 months, and on Tuesday that status was exemplified. The 27-year-old defender played a crucial role in Bayern's first goal and never looked in trouble on the defensive end, even when it became 10 vs 11in favour of PSG.
After it became 10 vs 11 in favour of the home team, Upamecano locked in on his defensive duties and played like a giant. Although PSG did manage to score one goal, no fault could be attributed to Upamecano despite his proximity to the goal scorer. PSG huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow Bayern’s door in because this current version of Dayot Upamecano is a strong, speedy, and experienced defensive behemoth who no longer gets pressured into making mistakes.