5 Reasons Why Bayern Munich Will Win the Treble
This week marked the end of the Champions League round of 16, and although the Bundesliga sent all four of its representatives to the knockout rounds of Europe's elite club tournament, only one survived: Bayern Munich.
The German giants beat Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 on aggregate and moved into the last eight of the Champions League. They also remain alive and well in the DFB-Pokal, in which they will meet Bayer Leverkusen in the quarter-finals, and they have a commanding, 11-point lead in the Bundesliga table.
Pep Guardiola's men are arguably the most in-form side in Europe, and it's tough to see any team overcoming them between now and season's end. Indeed, second treble in three seasons is entirely within their reach.
Click "Begin Slideshow" for a rundown of five reasons why that is.
The Winter Break
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Bayern entered the 2014-15 season at a relative disadvantage compared to their domestic and international competitors, having sent more players to the World Cup than any other club. Not only that, but there were more players from Bayern than any club at each stage of the competition, and the Bavarian giants began their campaign with many ailing or still tired from the shortened summer break.
What was an area of weakness has become a strength for Bayern since January, however. Having over a month without a competitive match allowed the team to rest and recover, and the German giants will have a competitive advantage heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
If there are any doubts, consider what happened to the Premier League's finest over the past couple of weeks: All three of England's remaining Champions League sides were eliminated in the round of 16, with fatigue due to the league's congested schedule certainly playing a role.
Come the final few weeks of the season, Europe's remaining Champions League contestants will likely be physically and mentally weary. Bayern, on the other hand, can expect to be much fresher.
Captain Lahm Is Back
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Few clubs have a successful season while missing their captain and a player as critical as Philipp Lahm for three months. However, Bayern have managed to perform very well since the 31-year-old suffered an ankle fracture in November.
Although he wasn't missed during his absence, Bayern will really need Lahm in the weeks and months to come. As they face one-offs in the Pokal and Europe's finest in the Champions League, Bayern will rely on the captain's leadership and class.
There is the not-to-be-underestimated factor of where Pep Guardiola will use Lahm and how optimal his role will be, but whether in defense or midfield, Lahm should greatly benefit the Bayern team. What's more, he'll be in peak physical shape come April and May, having rested during the winter and more recently spent several weeks building his strength and conditioning in the gym.
The Arjen Robben Factor
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With 19 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, Arjen Robben is in the midst of arguably the best individual season of his career. The Dutchman may be 31 years of age, but he has shown he's certainly not past his prime.
Once notorious for being a big-game choker, Robben has developed to become arguably football's most decisive player in clutch games. He was Man of the Match in the 2013 Champions League final and seems to have overcome any mental weaknesses that may have previously held him back.
Considering his form this season, it would be a mistake to bet against Robben pulling off similar heroics to those that lifted him to hero status in 2013.
Reinforcements Are (finally) on Their Way
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Considering all the quality in Bayern's squad and the fact that they've hardly missed a beat, it's easy to forget how many players the German giants have been without for much of the campaign.
Holger Badstuber, Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger have all missed a considerable number of games this season. All now either already are or will soon be fit. It would be a mistake to expect very much from some, especially Thiago, considering it's been over a year since he last played.
However, Badstuber is well on his way back to his best form and Lahm only missing three months gives him good odds of being in peak condition by May at the latest. Martinez could even play a big role depending on how his recovery goes.
At the very least, players such as Thiago and Martinez can give Guardiola the chance to rotate and rest his preferred starting lineup in the Bundesliga once in a while to ensure that his best, in-form players are ready to negotiate whatever tasks lay ahead in knockout competitions.
Competition Is Struggling
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Looking at Bayern's potential rivals for domestic and European glory, the competition is struggling.
Dortmund pushed the German giants to extra time and were wrongly denied what would have been a winner in the Pokal final last season, but it's hard to imagine Jurgen Klopp's men doing the same again after their pitiful Champions League exit. There are other hurdles to negotiate on the domestic front, but Wolfsburg's thin squad will soon tire from their Europa League run, while Gladbach and Leverkusen are both eminently beatable sides.
In the Champions League, all the Premier League sides are out. Juventus, despite beating BVB en route to the quarter-final, are still outsiders despite their favourable quarter-final draw. Both Madrid sides showed weaknesses in the round of 16, with Real conceding four at home and nearly exiting at the hands of Schalke and Atleti only narrowly advancing past Leverkusen with just one goal in 210 minutes.
Barcelona are joint favorites with Bayern, but the Germans look a more balanced side. The wild card is Paris Saint-Germain, but the French side have squad-size restrictions that could be costly, don't have experience in the latter stages of the Champions League and have to negotiate past the Catalans in the last eight. There will be some significant hurdles to overcome, but they're all very manageable.
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