Bayern Munich: Best XI for 2016-2017 season

Midfielders

Xabi Alonso

Alonso is a two-time Champions League winner

The deep-lying playmaker is a vital cog in the Bayern wheel. With his wealth of experience, he dictates play and sets the tempo for the team. Alonso possesses great technique, pin-point passing with excellent vision.

Bayern have tied him down to the club, extending his contract till 2017.

He takes long range set-pieces and also has a powerful long range strike.

The Spaniard has a tenacious character leading him to commit rash challenges and a tendency to pick up bookings, which could count as one of his few criticisms. The former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder provides cover to the back four and eases the pressure with composed passing.

Arturo Vidal

The all-action midfielder is the perfect foil to Alonso in midfield

Winner of the Copa America Centenario, Vidal came into his own towards the end of last season with some stand-out performances for Bayern. He shows complete authority at the centre of the park with excellent distribution and scores vital goals with his box-to-box runs.

He was known as the "warrior" during his time at Juventus, for his hard-tackling and aggressive, tenacious style of play.

The engine of the team, Vidal provides support to defence and attack at a high level. Along with Alonso, he manages to pull Bayern out of pressure situations while defending, with his interceptions and tackling. All these qualities have made him a leader in his position.

Attacking Midfielders

Arjen Robben

Robben is an integral part of the team when fit

Arjen Robben is criticised unfairly, at times, for not passing the ball, but assists figures are always at the top of the rankings

Very fast and technically astute, his creativity forces defenders to foul him consistently just to stop him.

He also tracks back and helps in the defensive side of the game. At 32 years of age, he doesn't seem to have lost any pace.

World-class players can make magic happen at any moment in a match. Robben is one of them. His speed and dribbles could make the difference in a tight match and his goals have won Bayern many matches.

His goal to seal the Champions League title against Dortmund is the pick of the lot. That cut from the right wing and the curler from the inside of his right foot is his trademark goal.

Thomas Muller

Muller is Bayern through and through and plays with his heart on his sleeve

Thomas Muller is a livewire who has the special knack for being in the right place at the right time. His intelligent runs on and off the ball gels the whole team together.

An all-around attacker, managers usually hand him a free ticket to roam and cause havoc across the pitch. He regularly featured behind his partner-in-crime Lewandowski, galloping forward to convert crosses.

Joachim Loew, German head coach, calls him a very unorthodox player who lives to exploit gaps in defence. He was the subject of a €100 million bid from Manchester United under Louis Van Gaal, which was rejected immediately by Bayern and refused to entertain any future bids as well.

Muller will always have a special place in the Bayern fans' heart - he is one of them!

Franck Ribery

The France winger is tricky with his mazy runs

The emergence of the Robben-Ribery combination has largely been the reason why Bayern Munich have consistently tasted success. Ribery at his peak, without injuries, could be the best winger on the planet. A real crowd-pleaser, he is one of the few players, who with the ball, can express himself and really enjoy football.

His ball control, tricky moves and strong dribbling make him unplayable at times.

For any football fan, Ribery is a joy to watch. His bursts of acceleration leave defenders biting the dust and he sets up teammates with accurate whipped crosses. Like Robben, injuries have plagued his career and at 33 years of age, is entering his twilight years.

Nevertheless, he still impresses on the ball and is widely respected as one of the finest players in world football.