The Bundesliga Connection

Bayern Munich’s 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-finals set multiple records and shocked the football world. Not only were Bayern the first team to score eight goals in a single fixture at any stage of the UCL knockout phase, but they also equalled Real Madrid’s ‘aggregate’ win total in a quarter-final phase, despite only needing one leg to achieve this. The impressive performance against Barca and Bayern’s overall UCL run this season has raised the debate as to whether they are the greatest offensive team in UCL history. Ironically, the record is held by Barcelona, who in 1999/2000 recorded 45 goals in 13 fixtures, Bayern however, already have 39 goals in just nine UCL games this campaign.

Speaking to SL Radio about Bayern’s remarkable attacking form on The Bundesliga Connection podcast, expert analyst Kres Harrington stated, “I think historically right now, we are watching the best offensive team in the Champions League, Bayern’s averaging over four goals a match. Magnificent, they look great, they even cost Quique Setién his job at Barcelona and might’ve even retired Lionel Messi in the process”

Speaking about Bayern’s upcoming semi-final clash against Lyon, Harrington continues, “(Rudi) Garcia won the tactical battle against Pep Guardiola, right now Lyon have all the confidence in the world, believing is achieving. But I still don’t think that’ll be enough to derail Bayern Munich, they have too much horsepower in their engine right now.”

The UEFA Champions League quarter-finals will see a battle of two of football’s greatest talents unfold when Bayern Munich take on F.C. Barcelona at the Estádio da Luz On August 14th. Robert Lewandowski, who many believe would’ve won this year’s Ballon D’or award had it not been postponed, will take on six-time Ballon D’or winner Lionel Messi for bragging rights and a spot in the semi-finals.

Speaking to SL Radio about Lewandowski’s incredible form on The Bundesliga Connection podcast, expert analyst Kres Harrington stated, “As far as the Messi versus Lewandowski battle, right now Lewandowski’s outshining Messi. [13 Champions League] goals, Messi only has [4]. We did see that incredible goal Messi scored against Napoli, of course, he’s magical, always known for a trick or two, I mean he’s a legend, a living legend at that. But Lewandowski is saying it’s his time right now and the stats don’t lie, even Serge Gnabry has more goals in the Champions League than Messi.”

“The momentum all-in-all is going to be on Bayern’s side, you have Lewandowski in the form of his life, with his goal production and Barcelona has been missing out. They missed out on La Liga, they missed out on Copa Del Rey and all things seem to be working for Bayern right now under Hansi Flick.”

Borussia Dortmund club-captain Marco Reus has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and has earned an unfortunate reputation of missing major matches and tournaments due to persistent muscular problems. He had recently returned to light training following a groin problem he picked up in February, but the club has announced that he has now developed a ‘tendon inflammation’ in the same area and will be out indefinitely. This means he’ll miss pre-season training and will likely be out for the start of the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign.

Speaking about Reus’s ongoing injury woes on The Bundesliga Connection podcast, expert analyst Kres Harrington told SL Radio, “Dortmund have had a lot of mentality questions presented to them and Marco Reus was always the glue that stuck them together in that regard. In terms of the player, I feel for Marco Reus, you call him Mr Glass because he seems to always be broken. The biggest loss for him undoubtedly is 2014 when he missed out on the World Cup, that was his ankle. 2016 is when the groin injury started and we see that continuing four years later.”

“He is up in age but all in all, not having him on the pitch is always a suffer to the mentality at Dortmund, we can’t forget they’re a combination of young guns and these older talents that seemingly try to hit the reset button on their career, ala-Emre Can, Axel Witsel, Hummels and so on. We have to see what they bring to the pitch come September 11th when they face off against MSV Duisburg.”

17 Year Old English wunderkind Jude Bellingham has completed a reported €25million transfer to Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City, following in the footsteps of fellow Englishman Jadon Sancho. The young midfielder is widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects in Europe and will compete for a spot in the already impressive Dortmund line-up which features prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.

Speaking about Bellingham’s potential on SL Radio’s 'The Bundesliga Connection' podcast, expert analyst Kres Harrington stated, “He’s 17, like Jadon Sancho was when he joined Dortmund, some say Bellingham is even more talented in some respects at that age, and he’s valued higher you know? Sancho was only €8million when he joined Dortmund. I interviewed Sancho before he arrived before he became the €100million+ man that we know him as today [and] he predicted young players would follow his lead.”