Bundesliga: Bayern on brink of title as they aim for treble glory
Players from Bayern Munich’s past and present feel they are capable of winning the continental treble for just the second time in the club’s illustrious history.
Bayern Munich sit seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with just four games left to play and could wrap up the title this weekend if results go their way. If second-place Borussia Dortmund lose to Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday afternoon, Bayern will be confirmed as champions for an eighth consecutive season with a win against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The Bavarians were fourth in November when Nico Kovac was sacked, but have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under new boss Hansi Flick, winning 24 of his 27 games in charge. They are currently on a 21-match unbeaten run, equalling a record set during Pep Guardiola’s time at the club, and are showing no signs of slowing down.
Schweinsteiger backs Bayern for repeat of 2012/13 treble
Bayern legend Bastian Schweinsteiger was a part of the club’s historic treble-winning side in 2012/13 and believes this team are good enough to repeat the feat, ranking them as one of the best sides in Europe. "In a European comparison, it is a super team," Schweinsteiger said. "They can win the Champions League, especially since Liverpool has already [been knocked out]."
Bayern’s French defender Benjamin Pavard echoed those thoughts, saying that the club expects to be competing on all fronts each season: "We are performing well in the cup and in the Bundesliga. We must continue like this. Bayern must win the championship and the cup every year. The UCL, we dream of it and we want to make the treble."
DFB-Pokal
Once they have secured the league, Bayern’s focus will turn to the DFB-Pokal as they look to win a second successive domestic double. On Wednesday Flick’s men saw off Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-final thanks to goals from Ivan Perisic and Robert Lewandowski.
That 2-1 victory brought Bayern’s goal tally for the season to 129 in 43 games in all competitions, equalling a club record from 1972/73. Lewandowski’s winner was his 45th goal of an astonishing season and he will be eager to break 50 for the first time in his career.
The cup final will see them face Bayer Leverkusen on 4 July and they will hope to repeat last week’s comfortable 4-2 victory over the same opponents.
Champions League
German football was the first of the major European leagues to restart, so they may have to wait a while before the continental competition can return. UEFA have not yet made a decision on format but they are determined to see out the 2019/20 Champions League season and have scheduled a meeting for 17 June to discuss it.
Bayern had looked like one of the strongest sides in the competition so far and cruised through the group stages without dropping a point and outscoring every other team. A 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the round of 16 leaves them on the brink of qualification for the quarter-finals, barring an unlikely Chelsea comeback.
Holders Liverpool were eliminated in their last match before the competition was suspended and they were not the only pre-tournament favourites who have struggled in the first knock-out round. Real Madrid lost 2-1 to Manchester City at the Bernabéu in the first leg and Juventus will need to turn around a 1-0 deficit to Lyon if they are to progress.