Thomas Muller Unhappy at Bench Role as German Press Criticises Pep Guardiola

Bayern Munich talisman Thomas Muller made no secret of his unhappiness after he was left on the bench for the team’s 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, a decision that saw the German press pan manager Pep Guardiola.

There was a lot of shock when the lineups were announced ahead of the game, with the forward named on the bench in favour of Douglas Costa, Kingsley Coman and Robert Lewandowski, who formed a three-man attack. Muller shared his thoughts after the contest.

“I try to cope with it professionally,” he said, per Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC. “It does not make you happy, but it's important to realise what is important for the team. If everyone who sits on the bench just flips, we can forget about the season.”

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The forward was introduced in the second half, but Atletico had settled into an impenetrable defensive shape by then. The result means Bayern face a mighty challenge if they’re to progress into next month’s final.

Guardiola did speak candidly about the decision to leave Muller out after the match, per DW Sports:

Given Atletico’s compact shape and tenacious midfield men, it seemed like a sound tactical plan. However, in a match that was always going to be tight, a player like Muller who can find space, conjure a moment from nothing and has experience winning in big tournaments could have been useful for Bayern.

The German press certainly seemed to think so. As reported by Mario de la Riva of AS, Suddeutsche Zeitung labelled Guardiola as a “loser," while Sport Bild noted that “without [Muller], [Franck] Ribery and the injured [Arjen] Robben, Bayern lacked aggression, passion and courage.”

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According to DW Sports, Kicker stated Muller and Ribery are “world elite” footballers and questioned whether or not Costa or Coman have the mettle to handle these kinds of occasions. 

Bundesliga pundit and former Norway international Jan Aage Fjortoft thought the decision was a particularly odd one too:

While Bayern did create some good opportunities on the night, Lewandowski was isolated at the point of the attack. With someone like Muller in close quarters, who has the natural instincts to pick up scraps and link the play, the Germans may have been able to get the vital away goal.

A 1-0 loss means Bayern will have to walk a tightrope in the second leg. If Atletico can muster a goal on the break or from a set piece, it’s hard to imagine their stellar defence being breached on three occasions. As this graphic from BBC Sport shows, for all their territorial dominance on Wednesday, the German champions were frustrated:

It’s in situations like this that Muller can tip the balance in Bayern’s favour. Whether it’s the Champions League, big games in the Bundesliga or even in World Cup clashes for Germany, he’s a footballer who so often manufactures an edge for his team on big occasions. Sometimes that intangible knack supersedes any grand tactical master plan.

Bayern are capable of turning this one around at the Allianz Arena next week, and there will be a clamour in the build-up for Muller to retake his place in the starting lineup. In a clash in which Bayern must score to have any chance of progression, Guardiola surely doesn’t have a choice.