As of: February 16, 2024, 6:32 p.m
By: Joshua Eibl
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Defense is one of the big problems at FC Bayern this season.
But statistics now reveal that this is also homemade.
Munich – The raw numbers read worryingly: FC Bayern Munich has already conceded 22 goals after 21 Bundesliga games.
League leaders Leverkusen are currently conceding just 14 goals.
A problem that, however, does not seem unsolvable.
Tuchel ignores FC Bayern's best central defender
If you compare FC Bayern's four previous central defenders, it quickly becomes clear: one name holds the record champions together.
According to Dazn
, when Matthijs de Ligt was on the pitch, Munich
only conceded a goal every 104 minutes.
The competition cannot keep up with these numbers.
Dayot Upamecano usually conceded a goal in every game (89 minutes), even when Min-jae Kim was involved, Bayern conceded a goal every 83 minutes.
Winter newcomer Eric Dier was also unable to provide the necessary stability in the back line.
With him on the pitch, the opposing team even scored a goal every 39 minutes.
Numbers prove: Tuchel ignores FC Bayern's best central defender © IMAGO/Bernd Feil/MiS
While the competition makes mistakes: de Ligt only sits on the bench at FC Bayern
Of course, one player cannot save the entire team.
But with crucial mistakes, a defensive player in particular can throw the team off course.
That was exactly the case against Lazio Rome.
Upamecano's unnecessary entry cost FC Bayern a better starting position when they lost 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.
The penalty and red card were not the French international's first failures.
Upamecano already made a mistake in the quarter-finals against Manchester City last season.
At that time the record champions were eliminated.
Is this history repeating itself?
Bayern fans, on the other hand, will particularly remember de Ligt.
The Dutchman made a spectacular save against PSG in the 2-0 win in the second leg of the 2023 Champions League.
After the then Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer lost the ball, Paris had the chance to take the lead and shot at the empty Munich goal.
But as if out of nowhere, de Ligt came rushing in and slid the ball away a few centimeters from the line.
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De Ligt with only 17 Bayern appearances this season
But the truth is that de Ligt has been able to show far too little of such rescue operations this season.
Initially, at the end of September, he missed two Bundesliga matches as well as one DFB Cup and one Champions League game.
The Dutchman had barely fought his way back when a torn medial ligament in his knee put him out of action for over a month.
This season, the 24-year-old has only played 17 games for the record champions.
Recently, however, he has become an integral part of the record champions' regular lineup.
This was also due to the fact that two competitors, Kim (Asian Cup) and Upamecano (injured), were not available.
When this happened again, the Dutchman promptly had to go back to the substitutes' bench.
The relationship between de Ligt and Tuchel is considered tense, and there is now speculation that they will say goodbye in the summer.
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