Bayern Munich is undoubtedly the most successful modern team in German soccer. Since superstar goal scorer Robert Lewandowski joined the club in 2014, the Reds have won the Bundesliga three times (2016, 2018, 2019).
More impressively, they’ve failed to qualify for the Champions League Semifinals just two times (2017, 2018) — winning the arguable biggest international soccer tournament in the world (save for the World Cup) in 2020. It’s inarguable consistency that should be appreciated.
But for as much success as they’ve had recently, and for all the goals Lewandowski scores as the most prolific European scorer ever, eventually, your window slams shut. You lose your spark, and all seems lost.
You run out of gas.
After a stunning 1-0 upset at the hands of Villarreal (massive +464 underdogs) in the first leg of the Champions League Quarterinfals, that might be what’s happening to Bayern and Lewandowski this year.
They’re simply out of gas.
You see, with all due respect to the Villarreal players and coaching staff, they’re not exactly part of a club known for victory. At the moment, Villarreal possesses a 14-14-15 all-time win, loss, and draw record in the Champions League. Before 2021, the last time they even qualified for the tournament was a decade ago — when they failed to get out of the group.
So when they upset consistent powerhouse Bayern Munich, putting themselves in position for the Semifinals, and also keep Lewandowski off the sheet at the same time?
Yeah, that’s probably the biggest win in the team’s history.
Making history in the Champions League. Villarreal 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/of51hGVfb7
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 6, 2022
Bayern had a 66-game scoring streak roll into 2022. Lewandowski himself scored in 19 straight games leading into September of last year. Suffice to say that it was a sloppy effort for the Reds and their Polish talisman.
They now stand at the edge of elimination in what might be near the end of Lewandowski’s tenure with Bayern. To a team that has seldom done this before. That is certainly not how the Reds drew it up.
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