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The Champions League Round of 16 fixtures have started and clubs are in full flow to prove their mettle in Europe. One of the most exciting ties in the stage is the Chelsea and Bayern Munich fixture which gives the Bundesliga giants a chance to seek revenge for their loss against the Premier League titans in the 2012 Champions League final at their home ground in Munich.
The Bavarians started the season on a rough note which ultimately led to the sacking of Niko Kovac. Hansi Flick was brought in as an interim manager and his results impressed the management so much that they decided that he would continue to lead the team till the end of the season. Chelsea, on the other hand, have been largely inconsistent and have had to face a series of problems under Frank Lampard.
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Having said that, we take a look at five reasons why Bayern Munich will beat Chelsea in the Round of 16 fixture.
Also Read: Chelsea v Bayern Munich prediction, preview, predicted XI and more | UEFA Champions League 2019-20
#5 Hansi Flick has been an excellent man manager
The first thing that was noticed when Hans-Dieter Flick took charge at Bayern was his communication with the players. It was seen from his stint as assistant manager to Kovac that he communicated well with the squad and understood their problems but it became all the more evident when he took charge of the team.
The likes of Thiago Alcantara and Ivan Perisic were sidelined in the initial days with Flick in charge, but the manager's confidence in the players made them capitalise on their chances and become mainstays in the team.
The players who have not been getting their chances in the first team have been constantly encouraged and ensured of an opportunity to prove themselves on the pitch. This excellent man-management has brought the overall squad a lot closer and this is being replicated in their excellent results week in and week out.
Also Read: 3 reasons why Chelsea could eliminate Bayern Munich in the Round of 16
#4 Flick has been good at identifying problems and making efforts to plug those holes
Flick's pressers have been very consistent and the German has openly accepted the faults in his gameplay and tactics. He not only acknowledges the problems but also makes regular efforts to fix those faults so that the team can churn out perfect gameplay.
There have been huge tactical improvements, with a particular sharpness evident all over the attack and in defence. Since the arrival of Flick, the Bavarians have also reduced their dependency on Robert Lewandowski scoring goals to win the points at the end of the day.
The ball circulation is much faster, the pressing without the ball is better and a lot of the defensive issues have been solved in a short period of time and this has reflected into consistent dominating performances by the team.
#3 Bayern's injury crisis is better than Chelsea's
Both Bayern Munich and Chelsea have been facing injury issues throughout the ongoing season.
The Bundesliga giants have been lucky enough to have important players reaching fitness levels just in time for the crucial fixture. Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Lucas Hernandez are all back for the key match with Ivan Perisic, Javi Martinez and Nicklas Sule being the notable absentees on the bench.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will be without the services of N'Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with question marks on the fitness status of Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham. This injury crisis gives their Bavarian opponents a more mental edge as Flick has more options to choose from.
The Bayern squad is also much more experienced in the knockout stages as compared to their London counterparts, having been regulars in the latter stages of the Champions League consistently over the last decade. The experience will come in handy as it will help them deal with high-pressure situations in a much calmer and patient manner.
#2. The rebirth of Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller has received a new lease of life under Hansi Flick as his fortunes have drastically turned once the new manager took charge in Munich. Flick has known Muller since his days as an assistant manager in the Germany national team and is familiar with all of the player's strengths and weaknesses.
From the beginning of his stint as Bayern Munich manager, Flick revolved his gameplay around Muller in the final third and has been rewarded heavily as it has seen the rebirth of The Raumdeuter.
The 30-year-old's comeback has helped the Bavarians in their attack as he has not only been a master of maneuvering space but he has also been scoring and assisting regularly. In his 13 appearances under Flick, Muller has scored 5 goals and assisted 10, further proving how much he has prospered under the tutelage of the new boss.
Muller is currently in red hot form and is someone Frank Lampard should not underestimate as it takes only a moment of the player's off-the-ball movement to inflict damage on the opposition.
#1. Lewandowski is being assisted by Serge Gnabry to become the top-scoring duo in Europe
In the days of Niko Kovac, Robert Lewandowski was the man who had to take the biggest share of the burden to score goals and win points for the team. However, this has changed with the arrival of Flick as the movement of forwards and attacking midfielders have been much more fluid, with the added dynamic movement making man-marking difficult for the opposition.
Lewandowski has been banging in goals since the start of the season and currently has 38 goals in 32 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions this season. Serge Gnabry, on the other hand, is in good form and has already achieved a career-best of overall goal contribution with 15 goals and 10 assists in 29 appearances.
The two players are the best scoring duo in Europe with 53 goals and their goal threat is something Chelsea should definitely worry about.
