Coach Flick has transformed Bayern into Champions League favourites

Bayern Munich’s 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona was proof of the remarkable job Hansi Flick has done at the club in the past nine months since taking over the team. Now his fancied side face a Champions League semi-final against Olympique Lyon.

Berlin (dpa) – It will never be known whether Bayern Munich already had something more for him in mind when they appointed Hansi Flick assistant coach last year.

Club bosses were not fully satisfied with the work of Niko Kovac although he had led Bayern to a German league and cup double in 2019, and the appointment of Flick was to strengthen his coaching staff.

Flick was named caretaker in early November when Bayern and Kovac parted ways after a 5-1 Bundesliga debacle at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Three days later Bayern beat Olympiacos 2-0 in the Champions League and at the end of that week thrashed German rivals Borussia Dortmund 4-0.

Flick was allowed to stay on until the turn of the year, then for the rest of the season, and as the team just kept winning he was given a contract until 2023 during the coronavirus-related suspension.

Now, after winning the Bundesliga and German Cup, the 55-year-old former Bayern player is two wins away from emulating Jupp Heynckes with a title treble just nine months into his reign.

And as they head into Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final as big favourites against Olympique Lyon, hoping to make Sunday’s final against Paris Saint-Germain or RB Leipzig, praise is raining down on Flick.

“Everything has changed since Hansi Flick took over,” chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said after Flick’s masterpiece so far, Friday’s 8-2 destruction of Barcelona in the Champions League quarters, praising the team’s “spectacular football.”

Flick has been compared with the 2013 treble-winning Heynckes as being as empathetic while totally determined and committed at the same time.

He has restored peace in the dressing room, makes every player feel important, and has given key men like forward Thomas Mueller and centre back Jerome Boateng their confidence back after they were sparsely used by Kovac.

“It is of course important for a player that he gets the trust of the coach and that he enjoys football. This is very important. And that’s all given,” said Boateng, who appeared on his way out of Munich last year but has now returned to top form.

Mueller, the Bavarian icon who has spent his entire career at the club, finished with a Bundesliga record 21 assists thanks to the faith Flick has in him, and he compared the coach to former helmsman Pep Guardiola.

“We have returned to this under Hansi to a certain degree, that there are clear guidelines for each position,” Mueller said.

Bayern’s game is clear, a relentless pressing of the opponent and attacking that has led to 31 wins from 34 games under Flick and more than 100 goals in the process. Bayern have not lost since early December with 27 wins from their 28 unbeaten games, including the last 19 and all 13 since the restart.

And the Barcelona game, where they led 4-2 at half-time and 5-2 after an hour, was the culmination of their attitude under Flick to never let up.

“Compliments to the team for keeping up the intensity when you have a big lead. That is our mentality, that’s what we stand for, and it also applies to those who came on,” Flick said.

The solo run ahead of Bayern’s fifth from youngster Alphonso Davies, who is turning into a world-class left back, was a highlight and Robert Lewandowski increased his season tally in all competitions to 54 goals.

Midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who is no longer a starter but like the other fringe players has been given the feeling by Flick to be as important as the starters, scored twice after coming on late against his parent club.

“The way we played was special. The greatest thing is that the players coming on had the same spirit,” Mueller said.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Boateng and Mueller know Flick from the national team when they won the 2014 World Cup with Flick as assistant to Joachim Loew.

Experience in such a unique tournament situation is invaluable for Bayern in this changed Champions League in Lisbon.

Bayern entered the last eight almost fully fit and rested as Flick also managed their cyber- and other training well during the virus break and between the end of the domestic season and resumption of the Champions League.

Bayern are the top favourites to lift the trophy on Sunday at the Estadio da Luz but Flick says that the eight goals against Barcelona mean nothing at kick-off on Wednesday.

Yet the ultimate goal is clear. “To be right at the top,” Flick said.