Bayern Munich: Franck Ribery Back at His Best Under Carlo Ancelotti

Last season seemed to mark a changing of the guard at Bayern Munich, as the team that for so long had relied upon Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery managed to achieve success in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal largely in the absence of their talismanic duo.

Both wingers missed plenty of action last season; the Frenchman managed just two goals and six assists in 1,327 minutes in all competitions and the Dutchman only seven goals and three assists in 1,498 minutes, per Transfermarkt.

As they struggled for fitness, Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski emerged as Bayern's premier attacking duo. And with Ribery at 33 years of age and Robben at 32, it seemed as though their time at the highest level was over.

Bayern played very well in all competitions, and Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman emerged as more than worthy support for Lewandowski and Muller. Yet when it came to the Champions League semi-finals, none of Bayern's attackers managed to have the influence that Ribery and Robben had when they combined twice in the lead-up to Bayern's two goals in the 2013 Champions League final.

Following the summer break, Robben has picked up yet another injury, and indeed his time at the top may be over. He limped off the pitch in his pre-season return for Bayern and is now a doubt for the Bundesliga restart in August.

The preseason has gone quite differently for Ribery, though: The winger has absolutely thrived under new coach Carlo Ancelotti, and, in recent days, he has sung his praises repeatedly of the former Milan and Real Madrid trainer.

Ribery had done well in friendlies against lower-level sides, but on Wednesday, he had his most convincing performance yet in Bayern's match with Milan—a fixture that saw the Bavarians earn a 3-3 draw after regular time before losing in a penalty shootout.

With Bayern down a goal early, Ribery latched onto David Alaba's pass and fired it into the bottom-left corner. He later completed his brace and equalized at the death to force penalties. These were the goals a leader provides, the ones that count most and that are hardest to score with the team's back against the wall. Yet the veteran was cool as ever and took responsibility to score the necessary goals.

Considered by many to be nearing his end following the last Bundesliga season, Ribery spared no punches for previous coach Pep Guardiola in the lead-up to Wednesday's match.

Speaking to Bild (h/t Agence France-Presse, via the Daily Star), the veteran criticized his former trainer for trying to be too cerebral in his coaching methods: "He is still a young coach. He lacks experience. Sometimes he (Guardiola) talks too much, football is very simple. I don't need a coach to tell me what I have to do right on the pitch when I have the ball."

There was plenty of tension between Ribery and Guardiola during their time together from 2013 until the current summer, with the player openly complaining to German magazine Kicker (h/t Press Association, via ESPN FC) about his trainer's selection policy in 2014.

It wasn't obvious at the time that Ribery had suffered under Guardiola, perhaps because it was expected after his majestic 2012-13 campaign and perhaps because he was getting on in years. Yet it's starting to seem that we might have seen more of Ribery in the last few years had Guardiola handled him differently.

Ribery's comments on Wednesday were an escalation of softer concerns earlier this week. Previously he made a veiled critique of Guardiola by telling Kicker (h/t Goal's Matthew Scott): 

"

I feel free and I am fully motivated. Carlo Ancelotti is a gift for the club. Since Ancelotti has arrived, I feel more trust.

He's a great coach. I need people like him, Jupp Heynckes or Ottmar Hitzfeld. I need this trust in me, to play off my strengths. 

It all depends on things like trust, respect and proximity. Then I cannot only give 100 percent—I can give 150 percent.

"

Ribery played well when fit last season but was perhaps never quite at 100 percent—at least not on the level that made him UEFA's Best Player in Europe in 2013.

Reaching such heights again under Ancelotti will be a real challenge, but in his Kicker interview, there was an interesting point. Perhaps he'll be able to exceed 100 percent, at least in certain circumstances, when Bayern need him.

The latter stages of the Champions League are an example of where an experienced, mature player who understands himself and the game can find it in himself to push his team over the finish line.

Raul, Javier Zanetti and Ryan Giggs in recent years have managed to do the same, and Ribery could be the next. He seems to have hit the ground running in 2016-17, and he could be a difference-maker for Bayern in the upcoming season.

The next generation may be ready to take the reins, but it seems Ribery still has a point to make.

@Mr_Bundesliga