10 players Bayern Munich regret selling

#5 Lucio

Lucio had a good spell at Bayern

At the time, Brazil international Lucio had already cemented himself as an experienced Bundesliga defender. Arriving in Germany from Sport Club Internacional in 2001, Lucio spent three years at Bayer Leverkusen before making the switch to Bayern Munich.

The central defender spent most of his playing career at Bayern where he spent five seasons, playing 218 games and earning several honours in the process. During his spell in Bavaria, Lucio was the key to Bayern’s defensive displays that helped them to three consecutive Bundesliga and DFB Pokal titles before moving to Inter Milan.

Upon being named as Bayern Munich head coach, one of Louis van Gaal’s first decisions was to sell the 31-year-old Brazilian, who had been their best defender. Lucio was deemed surplus to requirements but little did van Gaal know, he would come back to haunt Bayern.

There’s no doubting Lucio had a successful and enjoyable spell in Germany but a year after leaving, he would have the last laugh in the 2010 Champions League final. To complete the treble, Inter played Lucio’s former club Bayern Munich in the European Cup final.

Lucio played at the heart of the Inter defence who kept a clean sheet against Bayern in Madrid that night, proving that he had what it takes to play at the highest level until 2013.