It wouldn’t be a stretch to conclude that Bayern Munich are the best European side at the moment, given that they have achieved a continental treble last season and continue to impress this season as well.
But things were never the same before the arrival of Hansi Flick. The current core group of players – the likes of Muller, Lewandowski, Boateng – were once deemed past their prime, with many voicing out the need for a squad revamp after failed spells from then managers Carlo Ancelotti and Niko Kovac.
Hansi Flick would take the credit for turning Bayern into a juggernaut, but it was the club’s hierarchy who sowed the seed. Bayern opened its new academy in 2017 with intentions to churn out homegrown talents, which had been long absent since Thomas Muller.
The Bavarians were able to amass some of the best talents both in and beyond Europe including the likes of Alphonso Davies, Chris Richards, Jamal Musiala, Alexander Nubel and Tanguy Nianzou, with the former one already being a massive success with the first-team.
Bayern have firmly believed the policy of “two pillars”, as suggested by Sporting Director Hasan Salihamidazic, one signing who can make an immediate impact and other being a prodigious talent while not compromising with the standards. The signings of Leroy Sane, Marc Roca and Tanguy Nianzou in the summer transfer window is the best instance.
Bayern’s squad depth is also one of their strengths as they have a handful of options in each position on the field.