Why Thiago Alcantara Is Pivotal to Bayern Munich's Push for Greatness

Much has been said of Bayern Munich's spate of injuries in recent weeks, and indeed, the German giants have been forced to endure having a long list of stars on the sidelines.

Amid all their misfortune, however, one area where Pep Guardiola and company have been extremely fortunate is in the case of Thiago Alcantara, who has returned from a year-long injury nightmare in bullish form. And his heroics could lead the Bavarians to glory in the Champions League.

Since the fall of 2009, the duo of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery have been Bayern's go-to combination. Thomas Muller soon emerged as a reliable support man and others, such as David Alaba this season especially, have proved to be very reliable when the going has become tough.

In the current fit squad, however, few have proven capable of truly stepping up to the challenge and delivering a real touch of class. Robert Lewandowski is one, but the other—much to the surprise of many—has been Thiago.

There were never any doubts that Thiago could become a world-class player. He arrived at Bayern in 2013 still somewhat raw and not completely developed, but he made big steps in his first season. But then began an injury nightmare that would see him miss over a year of action, as he suffered two setbacks in recovering from what was initially a torn meniscus, an injury that typically requires around two months' recovery time.

Many recovering from a year on the sidelines need time to develop form and fitness, especially at a relatively young age. Yet Thiago has picked up where he left off since his return to action against Dortmund in early April.

Guardiola has been careful not to overuse Thiago as his midfield protege works toward a sustainable level of fitness, and certainly not in the Bundesliga, wherein he's yet to go the full 90 minutes in the five matches since returning. Nor did he go the distance in either of the DFB-Pokal matches in which he played. But in the Champions League against Porto, he was truly instrumental.

Bayern may have suffered a catastrophe in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, but Thiago was perhaps the only bright spot for the German giants. He added a new dimension in the Bayern midfield, functioning as an effective link from defense to attack, and he scored his side's only goal of the match.

In the second leg, it was Thiago's early header that set Bayern on course for their comeback, and he later set up Thomas Muller in a dominant display. He completed 180 minutes over the two legs, underlining his importance to the team.

When considering Thiago's impact, it's important to recall the problems Bayern had in midfield before his reintroduction. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Xabi Alonso proved too similar in style to operate together, which was exposed in the Champions League round of 16 against Shakhtar Donetsk. Philipp Lahm's return to the squad has been a big bonus, though not in terms of aiding the attack.

For quite some time, there was a functional void in the Bayern team. Franck Ribery's absence and Mario Gotze's continued poor form meant that there was no player to take the ball in deeper areas and transition it quickly forward and through and across the attacking third. Since his return, the Spaniard has been that link.

Per Squawka, no player in the Champions League created more chances than Thiago on the night of the second leg of the Porto tie. Yet he's also regularly the player who takes the most touches on the ball during his time on the pitch. He's a brilliant combination of regista and trequartista, one unique in the Bayern squad and perhaps world football.

Michael Probst/Associated Press

It's important to remember that despite his brilliant level of performance since returning to action, Thiago is still in a somewhat fragile state of fitness. All the weight-room training in the world cannot fully prepare a player for 90 minutes of top-level football twice a week, and Thiago is no exception. It's no surprise his use in league play has been limited.

Looking forward, however, the Bundesliga title race has finished, and Bayern's dreams of a treble ended with defeat to Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal. Thiago's presence or absence will have precisely no effect on their domestic results, so consistency is irrelevant.

The Champions League is still wide open, though, and Bayern are just three results away from European glory—certainly not too much for a not quite fully fit Thiago to work his magic. The midfield area is crucial to Guardiola's philosophy, so it's no surprise that Thiago is so important to his plans, especially considering that the 24-year-old was the one player the trainer demanded upon his signing with the Munich giants.

Thiago's absence may not have been noticed so acutely in previous months, but fine margins decide titles on a stage as grand as the Champions League. The Spaniard proved his worth against Porto. And looking forward, he could well be the man to make the difference in the games to come.

@Mr_Bundesliga