Many around the footballing world smelled blood when Bayern Munich played RB Salzburg to a draw. However, in the second leg of that Champions League tie, Bayern trashed the Austrian representatives 7-1. It was their biggest win in the Champions League since the 2020 quarterfinals versus Barcelona when they won 8-2. With that convincing win, they have been labeled as one of the favorites for the entire competition once again. Here are three key reasons why Bayern Munich will win the 2021-22 Champions League.
Bayern Munich as 2021-22 Champions League winners
They have the best striker on the planet.
The man that many believed should have won the Ballon d'Or for 2021, Robert Lewandowski just won't stop scoring. Right now, the Bayern Munich forward has 43 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions for the Bavarians. He scored a first-half hat-trick against RB Salzburg in the second leg and while two of those goals came as a result of penalty kicks, it's still a remarkable feat. Lewandowski has 12 goals under his belt in the Champions League this season and is in position to challenge Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 16 in a single season.
Lewandowski is a great goalscorer, but what really sets him apart a facet of his game he's improved upon this season. Top goalscorers around the globe — the likes of Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Karim Benzema, have started to player deeper in the field in order to exchange passes with the midfielders and build up the attack. Lewandowski traditionally stayed forward and waited for the ball to come to him, but has been playing deeper with the ball at his feet more frequently in 2021-22. That change has resulted in more goalscoring chances for both himself, as well as the club. Bayern lives and dies with Robert Lewandowski, especially since the production of his teammates cannot always be counted on, so the diversification within his game has helped reignite the rest of the squad.
Champions League experience
Experience is an intangible thing that is so important in massive matches. We just saw a PSG team that, even though they are star-studded, completely collapsed versus a very experienced Real Madrid lineup. Now, it is probably only Real Madrid that has more Champions League medals on their roster than Bayern Munich. Also, their starting eleven is almost exactly the same as the one that won in 2020. In their Champions League campaign that ended up with a win in the final over PSG, it is only Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, and Thiago that are missing from this season's squad.
As said above, Champions League experience and experience, in general, is a thing that is hard to measure. For instance, PSG had a four-time Champions League winner in Lionel Messi, a Neymar that won it with Barcelona in 2015, yet they both completely shrank when the team needed guidance, and shrank in general. However, when it comes to Bayern Munich, they have Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer, two incredible leaders on and off the field. Both are very vocal when speaking to their teammates and their immense experience, as guys that have won everything available to them in football, will likely make the difference in some tough matchups that await them in the further stages of the Champions League.
Ability to concentrate only on the Champions League
To be realistic, the only three teams anyone is really considering as Champions League favorites are Manchester City, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich. Real Madrid could challenge them, but their squad, on paper, is not on par with these teams. One major advantage that Bayern Munich has is that they should win the Bundesliga without much effort. Bayern's form in the league has slipped of late, going winless in its last three matches, but that's merely a blip for the German giants. There's no reason to believe with the talent on this team that they won't cruise to another Bundesliga title. Despite their recent woes, the club remains 7 points ahead of Borussia Dortmund on the table. Expect Julian Nagelsmann's side to regain their commanding lead in the Bundesliga and gain the ground they need to turn their focus fully on the Champions League.
Meanwhile, the Premier League title race continues to grow closer, with Liverpool quickly closing the gap on Manchester City. With both English contenders now locked in a battle for the Premier League title, neither side will be able to focus as fully on their Champions League endeavors. That is exactly where Bayern Munich will find their advantage. Robert Lewandowski and Co. will likely wrap up the Bundesliga in the next couple of weeks and mount off any challengers, should they return to the dominant form they displayed previously in the season. Bayern should be able to capitalize on the sudden change atop the table in England. If they take care of business domestically as they're expected to do, their chances of Champions League glory will vastly improve.
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