Bayern Munich got off to a strong start in the Champions League with a 5-0 victory over FK Bodø/Glimt, but the three days of competition this week gave fans an insight on what the field is like for the Bavarians overall and also some things to watch for.
For Bayern Munich, it was a refreshing return to dominant play in the second half vs. Bodø/Glimt, which served as a stark reminder to fans that even though the Bavarians might sometimes look choppy, the underlying quality and trust within the team
— not to mention the undying will to win — can still break a good team down.
Let’s take a look at some of the things we learned about Bayern Munich’s hopes to win a UCL crown this season.
The cream of the crop will be on a collision course
Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Arsenal appear to be in a class by themselves in this year’s competition.
It will be shocking if these teams suffer many defeats before cannibalizing each other in the later rounds. Each offers a level of talent and superior depth over most of the rest of the field — maybe even more so this season than some others in the past.
Whoever ultimately wins this competition is likely going to have to go through at least two of those group of six teams, which is not going to be an easy task. In what might be a cliche, this will be a battle of attrition.
There might not be a fun, underdog series this season…except Como
FK Bodø/Glimt was the darling story of last season’s Champions League campaign, but this season…well, it might not be one for the minnows. The closest thing to an underdog story might be Como, who dispatched RB Leipzig 4-1!
Como is a well-coached, technically confident, and tactically flexible team under Cesc Fàbregas. The Italian side is not simply riding the momentum of a Cinderella story — there is real quality throughout the squad.
Como’s 4-1 Champions League demolition of RB Leipzig was probably the clearest evidence yet. Como handled Leipzig’s early pressure, settled into the game and then began controlling the match, with Martin Baturina, Tasos Douvikas, and Assane Diao putting them 3-0 ahead before halftime/early in the second half. Even after Leipzig pulled one back, Como remained dangerous and eventually added a fourth through Máximo Perrone.
A big part of what makes them dangerous is their midfield creativity. Nico Paz and Luis Milla make Como players capable of dictating possession and finding space between the lines, while Baturina provides another creative outlet. Against Leipzig, Paz in particular helped Como repeatedly break through the German side’s defensive structure.
They also aren’t afraid to play aggressively. Fàbregas has Como organized enough to press and defend collectively, but the team can quickly transition into attack when it wins the ball.
There is also VfB Stuttgart, who is not exactly scraping by and struggling to stay alive. Stuttgart’s theme would just be that no one outside of Germany realizes how talented that team is this season.
Sebastian Hoeneß is a smart, young coach leading a squad, which is not exactly full of household names to the average fan. While Bundesliga supporters will not be shocked to see Stuttgart perform well, it could come as a surprise to those, who just consider the Bundesliga to be the Bayern-liga.
FC Barcelona might be the biggest problem
It sounds incredible to say, but Barca might be the best team — by far — at the end of the season. Right now, the biggest issue on the squad is the lack of a target man striker, but Raphinha is filling that void quite capably at the moment.
However, this could be one of those odd teams that does not need to function in a conventional manner. Hansi Flick has a number of attacking weapons to work with and the team has an absolute stud in Rodri to control play in the midfield. In addition, Pau Cubarsi is thriving on the backline and might be the best center-back in the world at the moment.
As Bayern Munich fans know, you do not want to let a Flick-led team get hot, but it really might be hard to stop this group. The October 20th match vs. Paris Saint-Germain will be the litmus test for whether or not Barca is truly ready to take the reins in this race.
Song of the Week: “Day by Day” by The Hooters
Yeah, it’s time to delve into the 80s once again with one of Philadelphia’s own — The Hooters (the band, not the “restaurant”).
Man, there was a period where The Hooters were massive. Sure, they’re still around and actually ended up bigger in Europe than they were in the States (outside of Philadelphia, of course), but they did have quite a few bangers. In the 80s, rock was just rock in some circles. Post modern, heavy metal, classic rock were around, no doubt, but there was also just some “good time” rock.
There didn’t need to be any angst or anger, just music for a good time. The Hooters definitely had a knack for that. Enjoy:
Entertainment Rundown
Carrie
Apparently, Carrie has been adapted into a television series.
With the success of some of other recent Stephen King adaptations (The It movies and HBO-based Welcome to Derry — we are not acknowledging the re-boot of The Running Man…nothing will ever top the original), it seems like the work from the horror author is getting a new life:
Would you be inclined to give this show a shot?
Predictions
Bayern Munich bounced back with a massive win in the Champions League over Bodø/Glimt, but many will still be looking to see how the Bavarians handle upstart SV 07 Elversberg in the Bundesliga.
Will there be a lapse? Did the UCL victory provide a boost?
We’ll find out Sunday, but it sure does feel like Bayern Munich has done enough to creep out of that mini-malaise that it experienced. Bayern Munich should be well-equipped to deal with whatever it will face in Elversberg.
Prediction: SV 07 Elversberg 0-5 Bayern Munich
Other Bundesliga predictions include:
- Union Berlin 1-1 Schalke 04
- Borussia Dortmund 2-0 SC Paderborn 07
- TSG Hoffenheim 2-3 VfB Stuttgart
- SC Freiburg 2-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
- FC Augsburg 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen
- FSV Mainz 05 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
- FC Köln 2-1 Werder Bremen
- RB Leipzig 2-1 Hamburger SV
Prediction Records
Total: 177-77
Perfect Picks: 26
Bundesliga Last Matchday: 4-5
Bundesliga Overall: 9-9
DFB-Pokal: 29-3
World Cup: 71-28
International Friendlies: 50-30
Champions League: 12-6
Club Friendlies: 5-1
Franz Beckenbauer Supercup: 1-0
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