Bayern Munich began this Champions League matchday against Ajax in need of a result. A draw and loss in their last two games meant they were under pressure. Reports of unhappy players popping up in Bild on the day of the game meant Niko Kovac was under pressure. Under all that pressure, Kovac turned to Bayern’s most trusted 11 to try and right the ship.
Ajax Youth Remind Bayern Munich of Their Age
The Game
It was the perfect start from Bayern’s best team as centre-back Mats Hummels thumped home a beautiful Arjen Robben cross in the fourth minute. For the next 20 minutes, Bayern had the bulk of the chances, pushing Ajax onto the back foot and forcing big-time challenges from centre-backs Matthias De Ligt and Maximilian Wober. We will come back to those two.
But as the game wore on, Bayern lost the sense of absolute control. Ajax are always a team that will come to play. Few places identify with attacking football more than Amsterdam. But Bayern have such a large quality advantage you would expect them to keep control of the game; spoiler alert, they did not.
Bayern were pegged back almost immediately by the 20-year-old Ajax right-back Noussair Mazraouri. The young full-back scored a lovely goal with his weak foot and, from there, the game was end-to-end as we could have hoped.
To their credit, they created plenty of chances but were unable to create any real ‘golden’ chances. Meanwhile, when Ajax went forward, there was a real feeling they could score. They created more ‘golden’ chances than Bayern; even forcing a world-class Manuel Neuer save from a Lasse Schone free-kick
This Ajax Team
This Ajax team isn’t exactly the same team that lost to Manchester United in the Europa League final in 2017. But many of the players from that team are still featuring. De Ligt was one of the starting centre-backs in that game and he’s now the Ajax captain at 19-years-old. Andre Onana, the 22-year-old keeper formerly of La Masia, played in that game and was outstanding against Bayern. David Neres was on the bench to start that final, now he staring all over the field on the biggest stage.
This Ajax team is incredible and despite moving on from so many youngsters, there are still plenty left behind. When a team can sell Davinson Sanchez, Justin Kluivert, Kenny Tete, Davy Klaassen and be in an even better position, it really stands out. When guys like De Ligt, Onana, Neres, on top of Frenkie De Jong, Donny van de Beek or Kasper Dolberg stick around the team gets even better. But sadly, what most will take away from this game has nothing to do with Ajax.
Bayern’s Problems
It has everything to do with Bayern Munich. Before the season there was a bit of a worry that Bayern had not done enough to reinforce the squad. Most of the stars of Bayern today are same players that won the treble back in 2013. Only Robert Lewandowski and Thiago weren’t at the club in 2013 and they both came the next year.
With so many players reaching the end of their primes it shouldn’t surprise people that this young Ajax side was able to play so well. But what should concern people is how little Bayern were able to do in response. Their great creative pillars, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, can’t be relied upon like they once were. They can carry for stretches, 15 minutes here or 30 minutes there, but not 90 minutes here, there and everywhere.
So this game should act as a reminder for Bayern Munich; they are getting old. They need to inject some new blood, but its too late for that now. Now they have to make sure they get out of their group as top finishers. That is likely to be decided by their return trip to Amsterdam a game that is now much bigger than before.
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