The 2020/1 Bundesliga campaign came to an end this past weekend, with Bayern Munich being crowned champions for the ninth successive times. It was barely a satisfactory season for the Bavarians, however, as they missed out on the DFB Pokal as well as the Champions League, while head coach Hansi Flick left the club along with many other stars.
In this article, we will review Bayern Munich’s 2020/21 campaign, as the Bundesliga giants brace themselves for a transitional season ahead.
A Complete Bayern Munich 2020/21 Season Review
Expectations
When it is Bayern Munich in question, you are expected to win everything. Despite winning the Sextuple heading into the new campaign, the Bavarians were not only expected to continue their dominance over German football but also defend their Champions League title, and perhaps win another treble!
Results
Bayern Munich suffered their first big blow in the DFB Pokal when they were knocked out of the earlier rounds by second-tier outfit Holstein Kiel. They constantly underperformed in the Champions League as well, being beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final.
Hansi Flick’s men performed better in the Bundesliga but looked very much complacent and inconsistent at times. Had it not been for RB Leipzig’s slip up during the second half of the campaign, the Rekordmeister would have missed out on the league title as well.
The Manager
At the start of the season, Hansi Flick was going to be the future of FC Bayern for years to come. However, things started to change after Joachim Loew’s decision to step down as the Germany coach after Euros, coupled with Flick’s ongoing war with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.
In the end, it was not an ideal marriage between him and Bayern, causing the German to announce his departure at the end of the season. It is safe to say that Flick has struggled to replicate his last season’s magic. Fortunately for him, he has already been appointed as the next Germany coach after Euros, while the Bavarians have signed Julian Nagelsmann as his replacement next season.
Best Performers
Bayern Munich’s 2020/21 campaign was all about Robert Lewandowski. The Pole performed at a whole new level this season, notching up a total of 41 goals in the Bundesliga in just 29 league matches, thus breaking Gerd Muller’s legendary record of 40 goals in a single season.
Aside from Lewandowski, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and to an extent, Lucas Hernandez had stepped up to the plate well during the course of the campaign.
Disappointments
Douglas Costa has been the biggest disappointment for FC Bayern in the 2020/21 campaign. Signed from Juventus as a back-up for the attacking duo of Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman, the Brazilian offered very little to the table for Flick, ultimately forcing the Bayern coach to rely on youngster Jamal Musiala.
Ones To Watch Out For
Speaking of Musiala, the young German is certainly the one to keep an eye on for Bayern Munich next season, after a breakthrough 2020/21 campaign. The attacker was on target five times in the Bundesliga and has recently earned a place in the Germany squad for the Euros. He has the potential to become an ideal long-term replacement for Thomas Muller in the years to come.
How Can They Improve
Bayern Munich are set to undergo a transitional campaign next season as new coach Julian Nagelsmann looks to ring in the massive changes to the teamsheet. A key for the Bavarians, therefore, will be to retain the core of their side as much as possible, as too many changes could lead to complacency. They also need to address their problems in the goalscoring department, given how the team struggles without their talismanic forward Lewandowski.
