Leon Goretzka Has Become Integral to Bayern Munich's Success Under Hansi Flick
By Mitch Wilks
After another impressive performance for Bayern Munich, this time in a Champions League final, it's time to give Leon Goretzka the credit he deserves.
While the football world has gone mad over his insane body transformation - and rightly so, because he's massive - it's just one part of his game that has elevated significantly in recent months. He's become one of the first names on the team sheet at Bayern.
The midfielder put in a tireless performance from box to box against Paris Saint-Germain and was crucial in Bayern's victory, which is the culmination of his incredible 2019/20 season as a whole - where he's been the most improved player in the squad.
Goretzka always had the talent, but after moving to Bayern from Schalke for 2018/19 season, he struggled to cement a spot in the side under then manager Niko Kovac. He looked lost after making the jump up to Germany's elite club and suddenly faced the realities of not living up to the hype, sitting in the no man's land that is being a rotation option and fading out of the limelight in future as a 'Bayern reject'.
This wasn't entirely the full story, however, despite Goretzka's clear struggle with the step up in quality and competition during his first season. Die Roten as a whole were poor under Kovac, who also seemed to look lost at the top level with a squad full of stars at his disposal.
Bayern won the Bundesliga in that 2018/19 season - obviously - but it was by no means in fine fashion as usual. They drew six games and lost four and finished with 76 points, just two ahead of runners up Borussia Dortmund.
Goretzka made 30 appearances, but was chucked around the pitch by his head coach and played in multiple positions. He was by no means awful in that debut season, but failed to nail down a consistent role in the side, which was never going to work if he wanted to make it as a star player.
When Kovac was sacked in November 2019, Bayern looked seriously hit and miss. What existed was a group of supremely talented players, but one desperate to be picked up by a top manager and pushed to stardom. Half of this talent would've likely faded into nothingness and been sold at a cut price at the next given chance, had a lesser coach than Hans-Dieter Flick taken the role, Goretzka was one at risk.
When Flick took caretaker charge of the club, nobody quite expected him to rejuvenate the squad like he did. His refreshing style of play proved to be exactly what Bayern needed, and his methods had turned them into a well-oiled pressing machine that would punish opponents again.
Central to that was Goretzka.
The German made good on his chance under the new boss and worked his socks off to prove his worth to the side. That infamous body transformation was underway and his game on the pitch was more focused than ever, as Flick deployed him in a defensive midfield role with much clearer instructions.
Goretzka has thrived under Bayern's new lease of life and high intensity approach. He's been a permanent fixture in the side, starting every league game Bayern played from February and started every game in the Champions League knockout stages.
Used in the deeper midfield two, Goretzka's job is much clearer. Operating from box to box, he's a handy tackler and his six foot two frame gives him strength in aerial duels. More importantly, his sharp passing over short and long distance is key to Bayern's crisp attacking fluidity. Goretzka averaged 37.9 passes per game in the Bundesliga last season and 1.5 long balls, at a success rate of 85.9%. Combine this with his willingness to burst into the opposition final third, it makes him an absolute machine and a vital piece of Bayern's double pivot.
His hard work has been rewarded, too. The 25-year-old finished the 2019/20 season with eight goals and 11 assists in all competitions, a career best so far for his total goal contributions. He also finished as a treble winner, too, which he might be more pleased with.
Fans and onlookers will continue to rave about Leon Goretzka's impeccable body transformation and gush over Bayern's attacking prowess. It's easy to appreciate the finishing of Robert Lewandowksi, the skill of Serge Gnabry and the awareness of Thomas Muller, but it's just as important that Goretzka's tireless work rate and equally as strong understanding of the game is recognised, too.
It's seen him become the vital part to the engine that is Bayern's midfield.