Bayern Munich 2018/19 season review: Double enough to save Kovac? | OneFootball

Bayern Munich have won the Bundesliga for the seventh season in a row and the DFB Pokal for the first time since 2016.

However, they didn’t completely convince in Niko Kovac’s first year in charge and the Croatian’s future was in doubt just two weeks ago.

Here’s what we made of their season.

Player of the season: Thiago Alcantara

Thiago missed just four Bundesliga games all season. Bayern Munich failed to win any of them. Two draws, two defeats, and a lot of question marks.

In the 23 games the Spaniard started, Bayern Munich dropped just 12 points. In the 11 he didn’t, they dropped another 12.

He is the strategist of this team and they are a shadow of themselves without him. Defensively tenacious and the heartbeat in possession.

Flop of the season: Manuel Neuer

Time comes for everyone. Even Manuel Neuer. It once seemed impossible to score against the German. This season? It seemed difficult not to.

Neuer made 34 saves in the Bundesliga this season and conceded 23 goals.

Two years ago, before his big injury, he made 51 saves and conceded just 13 goals. Despite a strong cup final, the decline has clearly arrived for the 33-year-old.

Rate the manager

For the first time since 2012, it looked like Bayern Munich weren’t going to win the Bundesliga.

That they were in that position is largely on Kovac. This squad isn’t as strong as recent years but it isn’t weak either and, with a greater plan in possession, would still be expected to stroll to the title.

However, he deserves a lot of credit for turning things around – Bayern’s last 19 Bundesliga games of the season brought 15 wins and just one defeat.

Next year he will have to dominate the league and improve in Europe, otherwise he will be on the way out.

What needs to be fixed

The squad is too old. Bayern are already attempting to fix that, signing Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez to revamp the defence.

Next a winger or two is needed to replace the legendary duo of Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben.

Then, whoever the manager is, a real plan for possession needs to be established, otherwise they could struggle again in games they’re expected to win comfortably.

Rating the season: 6/10