Joao Cancelo may need been the lacking piece in Bayern Munich’s puzzle.
The Portuguese fullback, for thus lengthy a key participant at Manchester City, regarded an ideal match on his Bayern debut, needing solely 17 minutes to arrange the opening purpose in a 4-0 win over Mainz within the German Cup, on Wednesday.
The recreation gave a sign of Cancelo’s best asset for Bayern — his versatility — and why the German champion may make his mortgage deal everlasting for 70 million euros ($77 million).
Cancelo performed on the proper of midfield, not the left again place he normally occupied for Pep Guardiola at City, and Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann performed with a again three like his outdated Leipzig group did, not Bayern’s typical again 4. Nagelsmann defined the concept was to exert extra stress by means of the centre of midfield towards a defensive-minded opponent. It labored as Bayern picked up its first win of 2023 following three 1-1 attracts within the Bundesliga.
That doesn’t imply Cancelo gained’t play his extra acquainted left-back position, too. The formation swap Wednesday was extra of a variation than a elementary change in how Bayern performs. The absence of Lucas Hernández, with a extreme knee damage, picked up throughout France’s World Cup marketing campaign, left Bayern in need of cowl on the left and counting on the just lately injury-prone Alphonso Davies.
In the long run, and particularly if Bayern prompts Cancelo’s purchase possibility, he would possibly find yourself at right-back, the place he usually performs for the Portuguese nationwide group. Benjamin Pavard’s performances there have been lower than convincing at occasions this season, and the French defender has been linked with a transfer to Barcelona on the finish of the season. Noussair Mazraoui is a flexible fullback, however he hasn’t performed since Morocco’s history-making run to the World Cup semifinals. Bayern says he has infected tissue round his coronary heart following a coronavirus an infection.
Bayern is nearly on observe to fulfill its goals for the season — high of the Bundesliga, nonetheless within the German Cup, an ideal six wins from six within the Champions League — however there’s been a precarious look to the German champions at occasions this season. Bayern solely leads the league by one level, and its opponent within the final 16 of the Champions League is Paris Saint-Germain, with the primary leg on Feb. 14.
Sunday’s recreation towards Wolfsburg may very well be a great take a look at of how Bayern features below stress with Cancelo on board. Bayern could also be unbeaten towards Wolfsburg since 2015, however the group from northern Germany is a tenacious competitor with an eye fixed on Europa League and probably Champions League qualification — to not point out 12 objectives from its first three Bundesliga video games of the yr.
