After making his high-profile move to Bayern Munich last summer, Michael Olise has been nothing but impressive. The former Crystal Palace star broke into the starting lineup from day one and became a cornerstone of Vincent Kompany's system.
By starting in the season finale against TSG Hoffenheim, Olise became the only Bayern player to feature in every one of the 34 Bundesliga fixtures this campaign, a strong response to the criticism about his injury record. As usual, the talented winger did not forget to deliver a spectacular display on the pitch. He broke the deadlock with a marvelous free kick to the right corner, leaving Oliver Baumann no chance.
The Frenchman continued to be the main character in the second half with a "threading the needle" pass that found Joshua Kimmich to double the margin. A two-goal cushion made life easier for the German champion as Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane scored for a stylish four-star victory.
Michael Olise also achieved a rare feat with this performance. According to Squawka, Olise became only the second Bayern player to record a goal and an assist in four consecutive Bundesliga games since detailed data records in 2004/2005, following the footsteps of Mario Mandzukic in 2014.
Bundesliga's Rookie of the Season, and more?
With 12 goals and 15 assists in his debut campaign, Michael Olise has been awarded the Rookie of the Season trophy by the German Football League (DFL). Olise outvoted the likes of Frankfurt's Nathaniel Brown, Augsburg's Chrislain Matsima, Dortmund's Daniel Svensson, and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Lukas Ullrich. He became the second Bayern star to win the award after Alphonso Davies' stellar 2019/2020 season.
This is a much-deserved recognition for the 23-year-old's efforts in the past year. Olise has emerged from a young prospect to a world-class winger who spearheads one of Europe's most prolific attacks. Silky, unpredictable yet practical and efficient at the same time. Olise has always answered the call and stepped up when his team needed him most. He has quickly become a fan favorite at the Allianz Arena.
"He’s become one of our most important players this season. That's not something you can take for granted when you are playing your first year in the Bundesliga at this level.”"Vincent Kompany praises Olise.
Harry Kane once again topped the chart for the Torjägerkanone with 26 goals. Joshua Kimmich has also been in one of the best forms we have seen from him. But one can definitely argue that Michael Olise is Bayern Munich's best player of the season, and possibly the Bundesliga's Player of the Season.
With the caliber of showing in his first season, the sky's the limit for Olise. He has defined the €60 million price tag and made it seem like a bargain. Bayern fans will hope to see more of that "MO" magic on the right flank in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup and in seasons to come.