Champions League: Power ranking the 8 quarter-final teams
2. Bayern Munich
There are no guarantees in soccer and that is a saying that is banded around a lot in today’s media. While the cliché still stands true, Pep Guardiola is perhaps the closest to a guarantee that soccer can offer. The ex-Barcelona manager has implemented his tika-taka style of play with Bayern Munich to great success, leading them to a Bundesliga title last season, and what looks like to be a successful defense of their title this year.
The German champions are the complete opposite of Real Madrid. While they have spent good money on players, it has been spent in a way that develops a team. The blend of Thomas Muller, Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski make a potent team. When such consistent performers are mixed with talented wingers such as Douglas Costa, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, you truly have a great team on your hands.
Moreover, Munich showed their will to win in the round of last 16. After scoring two first half goals in the first leg, Bayern looked to have the tie nearly won. However, a well organized Juventus team scored four goals over the next 90 minutes of the tie to put them two goals clear on aggregate. It wasn’t until a last-minute Thomas Muller header sent the tie to extra time that Bayern looked as though they would avoid elimination. It was not the quality of their football that saw Bayern progress through. It was their sheer will to win. The combination of the two is what puts this side at number two in our rankings.
Next: 1. Barcelona