Bayern Munich hosts Gladbach…are you ready?
Bayern Munich took a year hiatus from winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24, but Vincent Kompany led his squad to a Meisterschale this season — something that was not such a certainty earlier this season.
You might be hard-pressed to say that the Bavarians were at their greatest depths in 2023/24 after going trophyless, lacking direction, and cycling through coaches like crazy, but it was not good.
Still this season has been a bit about redemption, which is something that former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes knows a lot about. After the extreme disappointment of the 2011/12 Champions league loss, Heynckes knew his team would either rebound and come back stronger than ever…or wallow in self-pity and never reach its potential.
We all know how that played out.
“The [2011/12] season was unfortunate. But a runner-up finish [in the Bundesliga], plus two lost finals in the Champions League and the DFB Pokal – other clubs would be licking their fingers for that. For FC Bayern, however, it was terrible. The pain was deep. We corrected that in 2013,” Heynckes told Abendzeitung’s Patrick Strasser (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). We grew as a team and came back, proving impressively that we can win the three titles. Suddenly, all the automatisms kicked in. When we eliminated Barcelona so comfortably in the semi-finals, I said to my wife: We’re going to win the Champions League. A coach has a feeling for that. And that’s exactly what happened.”
The trophyless 2023/24 campaign did not leave the team, nor fans as distraught as people felt in 2011/12, instead the reaction was more anger and frustration. Winning the title this season and — seemingly — getting the club back on the right track represented progress, but the work is not done.
The redemption arc at Bayern Munich did not have a quick fix and will extend outward to next season. There will be changes (maybe some big alterations to the roster), but after re-establishing itself, Bayern Munich must now start to think bigger.
While the squad won the Bundesliga in a rout, tournament play was not so smooth. The DFB-Pokal and Champions League results were frustrating and need to be improved. That will be Kompany’s mission for next season after missing the mark during this campaign.
It is not just fans feeling that way, either, the Bayern Munich powers-that-be also think Kompany needs to improve his coaching during the Pokal and Champions League (per Sport Bild’s Christian Falk and Tobi Altschäffl via @iMiaSanMia):
Bayern bosses are happy with Vincent Kompany’s first season overall, though they believe some tweaks are needed especially in the Champions League. In the Bundesliga, almost everything went perfectly — there’s a great chemistry between the coach and his players. In the DFB Pokal, the people in charge believe that Bayern were unlucky to be knocked out after Manuel Neuer’s red card.
The most negative assessment, however, is in the Champions League. Despite the injuries to key players against Inter, there are questions about the way Bayern gave away the result in both legs right after scoring the equalizer in the first leg and taking the lead in the second leg. The main question being asked is why didn’t the team adjust to the situation and play for the result instead of continuing to go forward aimlessly.
From that perspective, Kompany will have to prove that he’s capable of making adjustments to his style in these key moments. The defeats against Barcelona, Aston Villa and Feyenoord also show that some adjustments are needed in the future.
If true, it is an honest assessment — and one that will be the focus for next season. Will there be too much change that could mar those efforts or will Bayern Munich rally around each other and strike back against the perception that modern game could be passing it by?
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 4, Episode 42
Bayern Munich — Let’s talk about everything going on with the squad on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League final? Who’d have thunk it?
- Final thoughts ahead of Bayern Munich vs. Gladbach.
- Checking in on Bayern Munich’s pursuit of Florian Wirtz and what the player had to tell Sports Illustrated Germany.
- It sure sounds like Leroy Sané is headed to the Premier League.
- What did we learn about the Bundesliga this season? Is Bayern Munich headed back to “Juggernaut Mode”? How far will Bayer Leverkusen fall? Is Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig’s method of business sustainable? Can Niko Kovač stay hot as coach of Borussia Dortmund?
Bayern in “strongest position” to get Wirtz per Ornstein
David Ornstein of The Athletic indicated that his sources say that Florian Wirtz is the top target of Manchester City, but also that Bayern Munich is in the strongest position to get him:
Florian Wirtz is Manchester City’s top target and that seems to have been the case for a while. But it doesn’t mean they will get him..Many I speak to in the industry believe Bayern are in the strongest position to sign him at present – but let’s see how it evolves.
Right now, it does seem as if this move is going to happen. It would be ideal if Bayern Munich can make it happen during the upcoming 10-day special transfer window, but Bayer Leverkusen is going to make life hell for this move to happen.
Song of the Week: “Something So Strong” by Crowded House
I went into the 80s archives this week and emerged with this one. I can’t even give a concrete reason as to why this Crowded House song just jumped out to me.
I remember liking it back when it was released in 1987 and I never have turned it over when coming across it on the radio…so I guess I am in on it! Anyway, the mid-to early-late (does that make sense)-80s was the last period of music sort of having that pure feel to it. Things would be changing forever in just a few years. Enjoy:
Entertainment Rundown
The Last of Us
Season 2, Episode 3
I have nothing much to say, it was boring and I am literally just playing out the string on this show.
Rating: 5.00/10.00
Following up on The Iron Claw
Hollywood Demons — Season 1, Episode 5
We reviewed the misery porn that was The Iron Claw back in June of 2024 and while it was a fine — and interesting — flick, it was only the partial story. As it turns out, the real story was even more depressing.
While you can Google the Von Erich family and get the sordid details, there is a show on Max — Hollywood Demons — which breaks the real story of the family down in season one, episode five.
The movie was well done, the acting was great, but it did get docked points for taking too many liberties with the stories and timelines of the events. This mini-documentary covers it all.
If you were intrigued by The Iron Claw, you might want to check this out.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: Bayern Munich vs. Gladbach
Bayern Munich will host Borussia Mönchengladbach in the first of the team’s two final matches.
The Bundesliga title is wrapped up, so there could be a lot of changes mixed in with the expected beer showers — and hopefully a proper send off at the Allianz Arena for Thomas Müller. Let’s take a look at what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show:
- A look at where each team is in the table and also a look back at the first match.
- A look at the injury and suspension situations for both teams.
- Will Bayern Munich do anything special for Müller.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI.
- A prediction on the match.
Predictions
Bundesliga
Who knows how motivated Bayern Munich will be compared to the desperation that Gladbach is dealing with. It will not be easy (it never is vs. Die Fohlen), but will want to celebrate those beer showers after a win and not in any awkward way after a loss.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Other Bundesliga predictions include:
- VfL Wolfsburg 1-2 Hoffenheim
- Werder Bremen 1-3 RB Leipzig
- VfL Bochum 1-2 Mainz 05
- Holstein Kiel 1-2 SC Freiburg
- Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Borussia Dortmund
- Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 St. Pauli
- VfB Stuttgart 2-1 FC Augsburg
Prediction Records
- Last Week Bundesliga: 5-4 (Through Matchday 32)
- Overall Bundesliga: 132-156
- UEFA Nations League: 92-79
- Champions League: 100-86
- DFB-Pokal: 44-18
- Total: 360-339
- Perfect Picks: 52 (when the score and winner is predicted exactly)
