Thiago: "An excellent ball thief"
Photo: MICHAEL DALDER / REUTERSHansi Flick gave his team a short notice for Sunday morning. Before the flight to Portugal was due in the afternoon, the players should sleep in, have breakfast and spend a few hours with their families, whom they should then not see for more than two weeks. If everything goes according to plan, FC Bayern will not return to Munich until Monday, August 25th. Then with the handle pot.
The 4-1 win against Chelsea was a relaxed start to Bayern’s triple mission. A victory that made the team leave for the training camp in the Algarve with some confidence and which also set new records. Eight wins in the first eight games of the season, plus 31 goals, both of which have never been seen in the Champions League. Admittedly, there was no reason for cockiness, and Thomas Müller also warned after the final whistle: "You can throw all the records in the bin if you have a bad day." Especially if the bad day falls on Friday, then Bayern will play against FC Barcelona.
Müller added that in the next three games it will of course depend on every single player, in every position. On Saturday's outstanding Robert Lewandowski up front as well as on the usual prudent defense chief David Alaba. A central role in every respect will also be played by someone who is about to take off in Munich - and who seems particularly motivated these days to crown his career in Munich in two weeks by winning the Champions League: Thiago Alcántara.
How often had teammates, coaches and experts paid homage to him for his abilities as one of the world's best midfielders. And how often has he been criticized for diving into the really big, important games. Thiago could shine against Mainz or Freiburg, but not against Real or Liverpool, so the tenor.
Thiago shines offensively and defensively
Admittedly, Chelsea might not have been of the overwhelming caliber on Saturday - and yet Thiago's performance was remarkable, both offensive and defensive. Whether repeatedly with quick passes in the build-up of the game or whether after a 40-meter sprint over half the field back with a textbook tackle against Ross Barkley in his own penalty area (49th). The last two actions before his substitution after 70 minutes (in which, by the way, he had more ball contacts (75) than Leon Goretzka (71), his neighbor on the double six during the entire season): A header in the center forward position (67.) , followed by a rustic foul on Barkley in front of his own sixteen (69th) - which showed: The beautiful player can also get dirty.
After the final whistle, Thomas Müller was also impressed by Thiago, who was only allowed to return to the starting line-up because of Benjamin Pavard's injury and Joshua Kimmich's transfer to the right-back position: "He's not just one of the guys can handle the ball well and delight the spectators as well as his own team. He's also an excellent ball thief. "
It seems as if the ball thief Thiago is in a position for the really big coup - ready and finally ripe for it, because maybe he is only now really reaching the zenith of his career.
Thiago in a duel with Chelsea's Mason Mount: Ready for the big coup?
Photo:TOBIAS SCHWARZ / AFP
In the quarter-finals, it is now against FC Barcelona of all places, with whom he had to suffer a terrible debacle in the semifinals in 2013, although he only played 25 minutes in the 4-0 and 3-0 against the prospective triple Bayern. A few weeks later he moved to Munich, but after that it was no longer enough for Bayern to triumph in the premier class - not even in 2015 when Thiago was back on the wrong track in the semifinals between Barcelona and Bayern (3-0, 2-3) Side stood.
Two abuse that Thiago has not forgotten.
Does Thiago meet his sponsor?
If there was a success on Friday, assuming that Manchester City beat Olympique Lyon, there would be the next spicy duel: Thiago would then meet Bayern's long-time sponsor Pep Guardiola, who gave him the legendary transfer announcement ("Thiago or nothing ") to Munich in 2013. Only that for Thiago it is now: now or nothing.
Because the next two weeks will probably be the last chance for Thiago to win the Champions League with Bayern. The 29-year-old has a contract until the summer of 2021, but he recently informed the club about his intentions to move - because he is looking for a new challenge and now believes he is at an age where he is still with an absolute top team Regular players find accommodation, preferably in the Premier League, for example at Liverpool FC from Jürgen Klopp.
But it is also possible that the club bosses from Säbener Straße will not be able to negotiate the amount of the transfer fee with a prospective buyer in the transfer market, which has been unsettled by Corona. A Thiago in this form would definitely be good for Bayern another year. You shouldn't let him go, true to the motto: stop the ball thief.
Icon: The mirror