On the 50th anniversary of women’s football in Germany, Bayern Munich are leading the Frauen Bundesliga table with a remarkable eight-match unbeaten record. But can they go all the way and clinch their first Bundesliga since 2016 in style?
For the first time in years, the Bavarians took the league by storm and they look almost impregnable at the start of the season. Right now they are sitting comfortably at the top of the table, two points ahead of fierce rivals Wolfsburg.
Last Sunday, they picked up another clean sheet – this time against SV Meppen – and remained unassailable at the top of the league table. It was their eighth clean sheet in eight games in 2020, while they continue their perfect run, banking a maximum of 24 points.
Their achievement could be considered legendary since they have scored 26 goals and they are yet to concede one.
Never before in the history of Frauen Bundesliga has Bayern Munich ever achieved such a record.
But before the upcoming game against perennial champions Wolfsburg at the Bayern Campus, let’s take an in-depth look in this truly mesmerising team.
The workhorse Jens Scheuer
Since the former SC Freiburg manager took over at the Bavarian club back in July 2019, Bayern Munich has evolved into a real threat.
Nevertheless, last year they failed to hunt the She-wolfs on the road to Bundesliga glory, falling eight points behind. In the Champions League they only managed to reach the quarter-finals before crashing against Lyon, who went on to win their seventh title.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut this year things look quite different. Jens Scheuer’s side means serious business. Bayern Munich is a club that leaves nothing to luck. It takes only a brief look at the well-oiled team of their male counterparts. Over the last two years, the men’s team look impeccable in every aspect. This is what Scheuer envisions about his own team.
Departures that cost and new signings that offer hope
The departures of Melanie Leupolz (to Chelsea) and Kathrin Hendrich (to Wolfsburg) theoretically weakened the Bavarian side. To prevent lasting effects, Scheuer made crucial moves in the transfer market. New players like Lea Schuller, Hanna Glas, Viviane Asseyi, Klara Buhl and Sarah Zadrazil have taken the reins and have proven themselves in top games already.
But what makes this team uniquely empowered is the arrival of the experienced defender Marina Hegering from SGS Essen. The 30-year-old German is finally living her dream. She was considered an up-and-coming talent back in 2010 before a heel surgery derailed her career.
She now looks healthier than ever, making a living wage from football. Hegering has brought tranquillity and experience in Bayern’s defence line making an immediate impact to Scheuer’s side.
Also, Bayern came out unaffected after one of their best players, Giulia Gwinn, was ruled out for months after a cruciate ligament rupture in late September.
Bayern Munich’s game and focus to the ‘Plan’
An astonishing 16 of Bayern’s 26 league goals this year have come from their midfield, which is the heart of Scheuer’s team. Recently, Sydney Lohmann renewed her contract and sealed her place with the Bavarians for another four years. She has scored six goals in seven games so far.
The 20-year-old midfielder is considered one of the fastest rising stars of German football. Since joining Bayern Munich’s second team in 2016, she has made quite a few impressive performances. It’s fair to say that her qualities earned herself a call-up in the national team in 2018.
Her commitment to the team and the Women’s Bundesliga is part of Bayern’s bigger image. The Munich club has already talked about a four-year-plan to make women’s side the best team in Germany.
This is just the beginning…
This weekend’s game against Wolfsburg is considered a real crash test for Bayern Munich. Right now it might be proved an exaggeration to state that this game will decide the league. Howbeit, it is absolutely a fair chance for the Bavarians to show that their plan is on rails.
The derby will be in the spotlight and both teams expect it eagerly. On one side, Bayern will attempt to increase the gap between them and the Wolves. Wolfsburg on the other hand, will be desperate to close that gap, leapfrog their league rivals and cast off for their fifth title in a row.
