If there’s a club capable of matching Real Madrid for heritage, it’s Bayern Munich, and they’re currently led by a manager aiming to reach his third Champions League final with a third different club.
Tuchel was a beaten finalist in 2020 while in charge of PSG before winning the competition a year later with an unfancied Chelsea side. This Bayern team is regarded as one of the poorest in recent memory, yet they’re 90 (or 120) minutes away from football’s grandest club occasion.
The German giants have so far saved their best for their European ventures but a major hurdle awaits on Wednesday as they travel to Madrid with their semi-final tie all square.
Tuchel appears to have stumbled upon his optimal personnel formula for the tight stages of the Champions League and here’s the team he could pick for Wednesday’s second leg.
GK: Manuel Neuer – Neuer is one of few survivors from Bayern’s 2012 penalty shootout victory over Madrid which saw them advance into a home Champions League final.
RB: Joshua Kimmich – The German’s return to a right-back function has greatly helped the individual and Bayern as a collective. Kimmich has played a key role during Bayern’s European campaign thus far.
CB: Eric Dier – Eric Dier lining up for Bayern Munich in a Champions League semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu. Brilliant.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt – De Ligt’s absence last week was critical as his replacement, Kim Min-jae, had a night to forget. The Dutchman is back in training and supposedly in contention for Wednesday’s game.
LB: Noussair Mazraoui – One of Tuchel’s tweaks has been the utilisation of Mazroaui at left-back. The Moroccan has come into his own in recent weeks, impressing in this competition. Raphael Guerreiro has been ruled out through injury.
CM: Konrad Laimer – Bayern’s relentless Austrian was arguably the standout performer in Munich last Tuesday. After a slow start to his career in Bavaria, Laimer is starting to prove his worth.
CM: Leon Goretzka – Goretzka was hauled off at half-time of the first leg with Bayern scoring twice in quick succession soon after. Nevertheless, the German is expected to continue alongside Laimer over the elegant Aleksandar Pavlovic.
RW: Leroy Sane – Tuchel tinkered with his wingers last week but it was from the right where Sane produced his sequence of brilliance to breach Andriy Lunin’s defences.
AM: Thomas Muller – The Bayern boss will likely opt for Muller’s…
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