Have Bayern Munich's Transfers Limited Their Success This Season?

Things aren’t looking so good at Bayern Munich at the moment. Just a few weeks after wrapping up another Bundesliga title, Pep Guardiola’s side have hit a real slump, and as such, the vultures have begun to circle overhead.

The big news story of the past few days surrounded the future of the former Barcelona manager, who was linked with a shock move to Manchester City, as reported in the Guardian on May 10. Yet the church of Guardiola is facing attack from other angles too.

The latest critic of the Bavarian giants is ever-vocal former player and honorary club president Franz Beckenbauer, who recently criticised the manner in which the manager has put together his squad this season, as reported by Goal on May 10. But is he right?

The club legend said:

"

Bayern were lucky that Thiago [Alcantara] and [Javi] Martinez returned. But we still did not have our full firepower, and you need it when you play in the Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona.

They were punished [for their transfers]. I am sure they will think about the future and the necessary steps to avoid this.

I can imagine Bayern will buy new players. Some players are older than 30 years, how long can they still play? The games are getting more and more intense. That's why you have got to have a big squad.

But if half of the squad is injured than you have bad luck. So, I can imagine the squad will be changing.

"

When we take a look at the players Bayern brought in last summer under Guardiola’s guidance—Mehdi Benatia, Juan Bernat, Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina, Sebastian Rode and Robert Lewandowski—it’s clear just how useful each of these players have been this season.

From Bernat coming in at left-back to replace an injured David Alaba, Xabi Alonso making the holding-midfield role his own after Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm returned from a gruelling World Cup campaign to Lewandowski replacing the departed Mario Mandzukic, Bayern were dangerously efficient with their summer acquisitions.

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

So much so that it would seem almost impossible to consider Bayern's Bundesliga triumph and march to the semi-finals of the Champions League without all three players in the squad.

The young, Spanish defender has been a real revelation at left-back with his outrageous pace and exquisite technical skill. His presence also notably allowed Guardiola to move Alaba into central midfield, where the Austria international truly thrived before picking up his long-term injury. Bayern may be short on numbers at the moment, but they have two of the best left-backs in the world within their ranks.

Similarly, the capture of Alonso proved to be a stroke of genius from Guardiola, as the former Spain international came into the Bayern squad and was dictating the manner in which the Munich side played within days. Add to that a determined, useful season from Rode, and you have two central midfielders who have proved their worth.

Where praise for Guardiola becomes a little more sparse is the manner in which he has handled his front line this season. Lewandowski for Mandzukic was a logical move and notable upgrade, but the club would have done well to bring in a secondary striker to fill in for the Poland international when he was misfiring or injured.

As we saw in the first leg of the semi-final against Barcelona, the Bayern coach simply doesn’t have an alternative to Lewandowski—despite having Claudio Pizarro on the bench—and that is something that has held the side back this season.

Also notable is the manner in which the club parted ways with Xherdan Shaqiri in January despite having just Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze as possible replacements for an injured Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben.

To an extent, Robben’s health was a risk Guardiola really shouldn’t have had to gamble on this season. Sure, Bayern missed a fully fit Lewandowski against Barca, but what they really missed was more attacking intent behind the sole striker.

When we consider Gotze was only brought on when Guardiola had little option late in the game, after starting Thiago Alcantara and Lahm in more advanced roles, we begin to see the extent to which Beckenbauer’s criticisms may in fact be accurate.

Bayern fell short against Barcelona not simply because one team had Lionel Messi but because Guardiola was out of options and ideas once he lost his three attacking players.

As the former World Cup winner suggested, Bayern are a little too reliant on the likes of Schweinsteiger, Ribery, Lahm and Robben—all over the age of 30—and will need to invest heavily if they are to ensure they’re not short of firepower next season.

For a team such as Bayern, anything but first place is simply not an option. If Guardiola is to continue that tradition, he may well be forced to roll up his sleeves and bring in a few extra faces for a fresh shot at the treble next season. 

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