Bayern Munich 2020/21 Season Preview: Strengths, Weaknesses, Key Man & Prediction

The mythical treble of league title, domestic cup and European Cup has only been achieved nine times in men's top flight football. In unique surroundings this past summer, the Bayern Munich side of 2019/20 were the latest to join that illustrious list.

Despite the understandable fears of a celebratory hangover, the omens for next season are positive. Only one side - a José Mourinho-less Inter team in 2010 - has failed to win their domestic division in the season following a European treble.

However, none have ever repeated the feat of winning that particular trio of trophies. Bayern, now with Hansi Flick installed as head coach from the start of the season and bolstered by the addition of Leroy Sané, will have a very good chance of making even more history.

Strengths

Flick's appointment as interim manager following Niko Kovac's departure in November prompted a number of swift, decisive changes. The co-ordinated pressing system the former Bayern player instilled was perhaps the most crucial tactical tweak which brought a rapid uptick in form.

Following Flick's arrival, Bayern allowed opponents fewer than eight passes before initiating some form of defensive action and applied more pressures in the attacking third per game than any other side in Europe's top five leagues.

This suffocating press helped Bayern win the ball deep in the opposition half and was a key factor in their staggering haul of 100 goals from 34 league games - only one other team in the history of the Bundesliga has hit triple digits for goals scored.

Weaknesses

As is the case for any person who's ever had a job interview, Bayern's weakness is actually a strength. To be able to press an opponent as fiercely as Flick's Bayern do, the Bavarian behemoths make the pitch as small as possible out of possession by playing a ridiculously high line.

In successive Champions League knockout victories over Barcelona and Lyon, Bayern netted a combined 11 goals but did concede a surprisingly high number of chances from balls played in behind that aggressively positioned defence.

More often than not, either Manuel Neuer's supreme sweeping skills or Alphonso Davies' unrelenting speed was enough to deter the attacker. While this threat is never going to be completely eliminated if Bayern continue their front-foot approach out of possession, the benefits convincingly outweigh the risks - evidenced by their deserved victories both home and abroad.

Key Man

One of the innumerable impressive aspects of this Bayern side is that they aren't overly reliant upon one player. However, if someone was going to lay claim to the tag of the team's key man, it would be their relentless talisman.

After drawing a blank in the German equivalent of the Community Shield, Robert Lewandowski failed to score in just eight of the subsequent 46 matches he featured in for Bayern last season.

The Poland international's ludicrous tally of 55 goals (and ten assists) across all competitions in the previous campaign took him into the same rarified air as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and surely would have seen him win the 2020 Ballon d'Or had it not been scrapped this year.

Prediction

While the possible loss of Thiago Alcântara would be a significant blow for any side, the Spanish pass-master arguably wouldn't have started the Champions League final if everyone had been fully fit.

With right-back Benjamin Pavard shortly back from injury, the wonderfully versatile Joshua Kimmich provided admirable cover in defence but is even better in midfield. Alongside the beefy Leon Goretzka, the pair of 25-year-olds form a formidable double pivot for Bayern and Germany.

Kingsley Coman may have been the match-winner in the Champions League showpiece but the arriving Sané will offer stiff competition for places in an already frightening attacking roster.

It may never have been done before, but there aren't too many reasons to doubt Bayern's ability to not only repeat their trio of titles, but add the Club World Cup - whenever the tournament goes ahead.

Prediction: Bundesliga Winners