Are Bayern Munich Or Real Madrid Better Equipped To Win The Champions League?
As the Champions League resumes this week, there are few who would choose a favourite to win the competition for outside the pair of current holders Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the 2013 winners.
They both travel to start their knockout-round paths this week—Carlo Ancelotti’s side go to Schalke on Wednesday, with Pep Guardiola and company in Lviv on Tuesday to play Shakhtar Donetsk—so Bleacher Report asks, who is better set to win the trophy this year?
Defence
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Bayern’s defence looked a touch rusty to say the least when they were hammered, 4-1, at second-placed Wolfsburg on their return from the Bundesliga’s extended winter break, but they have since regained a level of assurance.
Jerome Boateng was suspended for the win against Hamburg on Saturday but will return to partner Medhi Benatia, probably Europe’s outstanding centre-back last season. The Morocco defender has settled well since arriving from Roma.
Real, meanwhile, have been dealing with an injury crisis at the back since Sergio Ramos tore a hamstring against former club Sevilla. A makeshift centre-back pairing of Raphael Varane and Nacho was swamped in the 4-0 derby loss at Atletico and looked unconvincing against lowly Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.
Pepe is back in training and could be brought back alongside Varane in Gelsenkirchen, though it would be a risk. Behind the defences, it is clear that Manuel Neuer provides considerably more security than Iker Casillas.
Verdict: Bayern
Midfield
In the book Pep Confidential, Guardiola’s conviction that as many of one’s best players as possible should be packed into midfield is a recurring theme. His frustration that Bayern’s options in that area are never all fit at the same time is equally clear. Philipp Lahm, Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara are on the missing list at the moment.
Whether Bastian Schweinsteiger would be in the XI were everyone fit is open to question, but he has responded superbly after being heavily criticised for his role in the Wolfsburg defeat and was again excellent against Hamburg. It remains to be seen if the power of David Alaba, the craft of Xabi Alonso or both will be used alongside him against Shakhtar.
El Real have hardly had it easy either, with the loss of Luka Modric weighing heavily in the post-Angel Di Maria formation. Sami Khedira, a press scapegoat for the Madrid derby defeat, has not playing since through injury.
In these circumstances Ancelotti has had little choice but to give an opportunity to Asier Illarramendi, but the former Real Sociedad man has not convinced—Lucas Silva replacing him as substitute on Saturday could be a pointer to the future.
It’s not all bad news, however. Isco has become vital and opened the scoring against Depor with a typically classy strike. If there is no genuine enforcer, Toni Kroos’ calmness and ability to dictate can be key when patience in required—both against a solid Schalke and going forward in the competition.
Verdict: All-square
Attack
Robert Lewandowski is yet to set the world alight at his new club, but one senses there is plenty more to come from him. Arjen Robben has picked up the goalscoring slack with 14 in the Bundesliga and another two in the Champions League.
Bayern’s strength, as in most areas, is their versatility, with Thomas Muller (nine Bundesliga goals, three in the Champions League) and Mario Gotze (also nine and three respectively) chipping in too. Franck Ribery has yet to really fire in an injury-interrupted season but scored the seventh against Hamburg on Saturday.
Ancelotti’s "BBC" of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have been under close examination in recent weeks; the wide men in particular, with Bale’s relationship with the Bernabeu crowd and his team-mates (on the pitch) a topic of conversation, while Ronaldo has been below his imperious best since his recent suspension.
Let’s get this in perspective, though. This is the best front three in world football: Ronaldo has 28 goals in La Liga so far (10 assists), Benzema has 12 (eight assists) and Bale has 10 (five assists). They have 12 goals between them in the Champions League too, and Schalke can affirm from last year’s tie between the clubs at the same stage that when on form, they cannot be stopped.
Verdict: Real Madrid
Overall Verdict
On current form, it’s advantage Bayern, and they have a dizzying array of options—though they have plenty of questions ahead of them, given their dramatic flounder at the business end of last season. Real Madrid peaked at just the right time under Ancelotti in that European campaign, and they could certainly do so again.
