They are, from so many perspectives, almost perfect. Bayern Munich make their 11th Champions League final after making it 10 straight wins in the Champions League and 20 in all competitions. In their last 29 games, in fact, they’ve won 28 and drawn one.
The figures from their last three games have been almost as impressive, as they’ve won by a combined score of 15-3.
No one has ever reached a Champions League final on better form… if you can even call it that. This feels like it goes beyond form. It’s just how good this team is.
What is so striking about them is how close to complete they look. They’re so supremely competent, in so many areas.
They just radiate quality. It is remarkable to think that, for almost half this season, they looked in disarray. What a waste of talent and potential that might have been.
The appointment of Hansi Flick was of course a juncture moment, but many around the club feel the hiring of assistant Danny Rohl was just as important. While his methodology went to waste under the reactive approach of Niko Kovac, it was the perfect grounding for Flick.
It gives the team a sophisticated pressing approach not really seen since Pep Guardiola left, and is what makes them so complete, and so energetic. They can destroy you with the ball but also exhaust you without it.
And yet just as there are now only two sides left in the competition, there are two sides to the team. Some issues don’t go away.
Bayern’s overall approach necessitates a high line, that has left them susceptible to pace. And no one in world football has pace that can hurt you like Kylian Mbappe. Paris Saint-Germain actually have an abundance of it.
How they would enjoy some of the chances that Bayern offered up in the last few games. It was one of the curiosities to wins that were otherwise so convincing.
There were stretches of the games when it felt like they could be got at.
Barca created about five opportunities, Lyon about five. Just as conspicuous was the timing. The majority came before Bayern got the goal that decisively put them ahead. That speaks to their sense of comfort with being in command, but the wonder is what would have happened if either side had taken those chances or gone ahead.
This is going to be the great danger, and test, of playing PSG.
Bayern of course have the weapons to badly hurt the French champions, too, but the great coaching question in such situations is how much you compromise; how much faith you have in your own approach; how much caution you have as regards theirs.
It is just another element that enriches this final of contrasts, but also champions.
Bayern have still been on better form. They just have to make that – and all those numbers – count in the most consequential game of all.
