Not beating the \u201cBest Team in the World\u201d allegations<\/p>\n
Prior to Tuesday evening\u2019s clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, midfielder Vitinha declared \u201cwe\u2019ll find out tomorrow night\u201d who the best team in Europe was.<\/p>\n
That question appeared settled within minutes.<\/p>\n
Luis D\u00edaz, who somehow has been getting stick for his lack of production this season at Bayern, scored his ninth goal of the young season not even four minutes past the opening whistle. By the half-hour mark he\u2019d nicked the ball off Marquinhos and punched in a second, and the Bavarians were on their way.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll get to the red card in a bit \u2014 if anything, the game-changing event just gave Bayern a chance to show another form of strength. But Bayern cooked up an opening salvo of sheer dominance, and easily could have had one or two more goals than they did heading into the break. All this, on the road, against one of Europe\u2019s finest. And all while looking like just another day at the office for Vincent Kompany & company.<\/p>\n
Bayern blowing the defending champions off the park in the first 45\u2019 was almost unremarkable compared to what happened in the second. Down a man and under the cosh, Bayern bravely and barely held on to what should have been more than a two-goal advantage. In doing so they faced their first true test of defensive mettle, and passed with flying colors.<\/p>\n
Vincent Kompany\u2019s side isn\u2019t one to sit back and absorb pressure. But against PSG, they had to, and tactically, it wasn\u2019t pretty. The Parisians showed they could get pressed out of the game by eleven-man Bayern, but also that they had lethal qualities if given the chance to stay on the ball. Just look at the tilt in the balance of play by the time the game finished:<\/p>\n
Even without Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, PSG had difference-makers and magicians aplenty. It wasn\u2019t a great look for Bayern to get put on the ropes, but given the firepower, understandable.<\/p>\n
So how did Bayern even survive? Stupendous individual defensive performances. Whether it was Jonathan Tah or Dayot Upamecano or Konrad Laimer making critical last-ditch interventions\u2026or Michael Olise solo-ing his way up the pitch the burn extra seconds off the clock and getting a shot away\u2026or Manuel Neuer, at 39, putting in an absolute shot-stopping clinic in the face of a non-stop barrage of pressure. This Bayern team showed they have steel today, the kind of steel champions are made of.<\/p>\n
Put some R-E-S-P-E-C-T on Konrad Laimer\u2019s name!<\/p>\n
It\u2019s more than the indefatigable sprints or the infectious joy the Austrian international brings to the pitch. More than his last-ditch clearance in stoppage time of yet another dangerous PSG cross as Bradley Barcola lurked behind him. Konrad Laimer is Bayern\u2019s everything man, doing everything, all the time.<\/p>\n
Vincent Kompany routinely<\/a> deploys Laimer on the opponent\u2019s most dangerous wing and this game was no different. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a lot to handle, but the Bayern right-back held his own even when he got beat, often leaving the Georgian winger so worked up over finally securing an inch of space that the resulting cross would be overcooked. Laimer pressed, Laimer harried, Laimer covered every inch of grass. He\u2019s there for the highlight moments and the little ones you miss. When a Paris forward fumbled their opportunity at the last, often he was the one unsettling them just enough to make sure it happened.<\/p>\n What a player. Dare we say among Bayern\u2019s most indispensable.<\/p>\n Luis D\u00edaz deserved his red card. Seeing that live, without realizing Hakimi was hurt, it felt like D\u00edaz was lucky to only get a yellow. That was a Football Manager, randomly flying up with two legs scissoring through the air from behind moment of madness. D\u00edaz got beat, made a poor decision, and his execution was worse. And he hurt his opponent doing it.<\/p>\n It was reckless, and D\u00edaz is easily \u2014 deservedly \u2014 in line for a three-match suspension in the Champions League that will see him unavailable for the Arsenal clash in three weeks\u2019 time. Vincent Kompany was apparently captured on the broadcast incensed, shouting \u201cthat\u2019s never a red!\u201d after the review (the initial ruling, showing a rather generous benefit of the doubt in this author\u2019s view, had been a yellow). It\u2019ll be interesting to see what more the Bayern coach has to say about it.<\/p>\n But most importantly: let\u2019s hope Hakimi is alright, as that did not look good.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t even Bayern\u2019s final form<\/p>\n With each passing consecutive win \u2014 there are 16 of them now \u2014 it becomes more and more wondrous that this is a Bayern team that has had to make do since the start of preseason without Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies. Those two are superstars, game-changers, and faces of the team. You\u2019re telling me the best team in Europe is getting them back for the business end of the season? Good heavens.<\/p>\n Bayern Munich pulled out a wild 2-1 victory in a game that will be talked about quite a bit. So, why don\u2019t we kick it off. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works \u2014 Postgame Show:<\/p>\n Support Bavarian Podcast Works on Patreon!<\/strong><\/p>\n If you like our podcasts and want more, or just want to listen our episodes ad-free, then support us on Patreon! Every single dollar will be used to help boost the coverage of the team we all love. Mia San Mia.<\/p>\n\n