Top 5 Bayern Munich players in the 2017-18 season

It wouldn't be wrong to say Bayern Munich had a rough start to the 2017-18 season. After an unpromising pre-season, they dropped seven points in their first seven Bundesliga matches. In UEFA Champions League, Bayern suffered a disastrous 3-0 loss to PSG.

Things took a complete turn when control went into the hand of the team's treble-winning manager, Jupp Heynckes. Bayern won the Meisterschaft for a record sixth consecutive time and came very close to defeating Real Madrid in the UCL.

The team's biggest regret will remain losing in the DFB Pokal final to Eintracht Frankfurt, which happened to be Heynckes' farewell match.

Like every other season, some players didn't live up to expectations, some did, and a few even exceeded it. Today we list Bayern Munich's five best performers during the season.

This categorisation takes into account their performances in all major competitions, namely Bundesliga, UCL and DFB Pokal.

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#5 Mats Hummels

Hummels was key to maintaining Bayern's impressive defensive record.

Mats Hummels has undeniably been one of the best defenders in the world for quite a while now. The German footballer is known for his rock-solid defending and astute ball-playing skills.

His forward runs with the ball have often earned him comparisons with the legendary Franz Beckenbauer.

The 2017-18 season saw Hummels assume a more significant role in the side. He would lead Bayern's defence in the absence of their captain and first-choice goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer.

Hummels' technique and ability to read the game ensured the Bavarians maintained an impressive defensive record in the league.

The 6'3" tall defender managed to chip in a few goals in between. He also acted as a mentor to young German centre-back Niklas Sule, who had an impressive debut season at Bayern.

All stats via transfermarkt

#4 Arturo Vidal

Vidal was a critical part of Bayern's midfield.

Arturo Vidal has now been a part of Bayern for three seasons. He isn't the most technically gifted player in the world. But 'Rey Arturo' ( King Arturo) makes up for it with his hard work, tenacity and aggression.

Alongside being a street-smart footballer, he possesses the will to never back down from a challenge.

The season began with a new challenge for Vidal. With the arrival of Sebastian Rudy and Corentin Tolisso, he faced fierce competition for a permanent spot in the starting 11. Vidal, being the warrior he is, responded by giving his very best each time he took the field.

Vidal played a crucial role in Bayern's title win, covering miles of ground in every match. He had a consecutive four-match goal-scoring run, which is impressive for a central midfielder. It was the Chilean's resilience in ball-winning however that made the real difference. Unfortunately, Vidal was forced to miss the final stage of their campaign due to a knee injury.

#3 James Rodriguez

Rodriguez provided 14 assists in the 2017-18 season.

At the beginning of the season, Bayern stunned the football universe by announcing a two-year loan deal for James Rodriguez.

Falling out of favour at Zidane's Real Madrid, this was the Colombian's opportunity to prove his value to the world.

Returning from a hamstring injury, Rodriguez took his time to integrate into the squad. Once past the initial hiccups, the attacking midfielder never looked back.

From controlling the tempo in midfield to creating opportunities in the attacking third, Rodriguez was doing it all. His prowess with the dead-ball was icing on the cake.

In 39 matches, Rodriguez scored eight goals and provided 14 assists. He was at his best against teams like Schalke, PSG and Bayer Leverkusen. Rodriguez' performance earned him a spot in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League squad of the season.

#2 Robert Lewandowski

Lewandowski won his third Bundesliga Top-scorer award.

Another season, another Robert Lewandowski goal galore. The seven-time Polish Player of the Year has always been subject to high expectations from fans and critics alike.

Unsurprisingly, he never fails to deliver. Labelled as a complete striker, Lewandowski can find the net by any means possible

The 2017-18 season saw Lewandowski score 41 goals in 48 matches. This was the third consecutive time he crossed the 40 goal mark. 29 of these came in the league, earning him his third Bundesliga top-scorer award. Lewandowski became the first man to win it thrice since Ulf Kirsten.

Outside the league, he scored six goals in the German Cup and five goals in UEFA Champions League. His substandard performance in the later stages of UCL had the fans asking for more. Nevertheless, Lewandowski was indispensable for Bayern.

#1 Joshua Kimmich

Kimmich scored twice against Real Madrid.

No one ever doubted the fact that Joshua Kimmich was talented. The only question was if he had what it takes to succeed the legendary Philipp Lahm. In the 2017-18 season, not only did Kimmich prove his doubters wrong but also opened the path to his greatness.

After performing strongly at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, Kimmich started the season as Bayern's first choice right-back.

With quick thinking, efficient overlapping and inch-perfect crossing, he started dominating the right flank. Kimmich's aggressive football opened a new creative outlet for the side resulting in him delivering match-winning performances day in and day out.

By the end of the season, Kimmich racked up 13 assists for Bayern Munich. Managing a pass success percentage of over 90 percent, he also found the net four times. Two of his goals came against Real Madrid in UCL semi-finals.

While his team lost the contest, football got a new star. Alongside Rodriguez, he was the only other Bayern footballer to be selected in the Champions League squad of the season.