Bayern Munich: Ranking Best and Worst Die Roten Players for April

Bayern Munich may well be reeling over their quashed treble-winning dreams, yet Pep Guardiola's side still have plenty of football to play between now and May, with a potential Champions League trophy on the line. 

The Bavarian giants have already wrapped up the Bundesliga for the third year running but will have to overcome the might of Barcelona if they have any hopes of challenging for the prestigious award at the end of this month. 

Yet, before that, we must first take a moment to acknowledge the month that has just been and to decipher just who did and who did not perform to their best abilities in April. 

Here are the best and worst Die Roten players over the course of the past month. 

The Worst Players in April

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

1. Dante

Dante is primarily on this list because of his performance and his vital mistake against Porto in the first leg of their Champions League tie, and he has continued to look far from the defender he once was when he first arrived in Munich. 

With the unfortunate injury to Holger Badstuber, the Brazilian has been recalled to the first team and often frustrates more than anything else. 

2. Xabi Alonso

Aside from a set-piece goal against Porto at the Allianz Arena, April has been another month that Xabi Alonso will most likely hope to forget. 

His performance in the first leg in Portugal was once again worrying and only added to a string of games in which the likes of Sebastian Rode have outshone him. 

3. Mario Gotze

If it seems like Mario Gotze is on our worst list each and every month, it's only because he very rarely shows up and does anything of value for Guardiola's side. 

The attacking midfielder didn't contribute a single goal and gave just one assist over the month of April, and with the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Franck Ribery back in the squad, it would seem as though his days starting for Bayern are numbered. 

4. Philipp Lahm

It would seem preposterous to suggest that Philipp Lahm would ever suffer from a lack of form—and to a certain extent, it is—but over the last month, we haven't seen anything like the best from the Bayern captain.

Obviously still coming to terms with his fitness after a long absence through his Malleolar fracture injury, Lahm hasn't exactly been bad—he has just not been very good. 

5. Jerome Boateng 

In a similar tone to the comment on Lahm, Jerome Boateng only just makes it on to this list because he hadn't quite reached his own self-appointed high standards in April. 

Add to that his mistake for one of the goals in the first leg against Porto and we have a month that the trusted central defender will be happy to be done with. 

The Best Players in April

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

1. Robert Lewandowski

If there were ever a month that showed Robert Lewandowski was on course to prove himself as a success at Bayern, it would be the month of April. 

Although he may have ended the month with a nasty bang to the head, the Polish striker managed to notch up six goals in eight games and prove just how vital he is to Guardiola's side. 

2. Thiago Alcantara

With Bayern's current injury crisis, it was no surprise that the return of Alcantara to the first team was welcomed with cheers and applause from fans and his manager in equal measure. 

The young Spaniard has been a breath of fresh air in the middle of the park and certainly offered more going forward than the likes of Gotze. He's an essential gift, bearing in mind the injuries to key playmakers elsewhere in the side. 

3. Sebastian Rode

Whether asked to play at right-back or in the middle of the park, Rode has taken every opportunity to step into the first team and truly shined throughout. 

Although he may still be considered a backup for the time being, the young German midfielder continues to increase his chances of a regular start in the team with each and every passing good performance. 

4. Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger is the kind of player you don't realise you miss in a side until he's gone. Such was the case in Bayern's first leg with Porto as well as the sluggish wins over Frankfurt and Hoffenheim. 

When back in the side, Schweinsteiger has grabbed his side by the scruff of the neck and dragged them towards conclusive victory. He's only just back from injury but already making a big difference in the side. 

5. Juan Bernat 

As with much of this season, Juan Bernat has continued to prove himself as undoubtedly one of the best left-backs in the game today. 

Whether it be in the Champions League or in domestic competitions, the young Spaniard has continued to do the impossible: allow Bayern and Guardiola to forget about the injured David Alaba on the sidelines.