Europe’s elite Flick-ed aside
When Hansi Flick took over struggling Bayern Munich in November 2019 the media headlines declared that teams should no longer fear the German champions, but outstanding teamwork and a hunger for victory turned the season around, the coach said on Sunday.
"I am proud of this team," a beaming Flick told reporters. "When I started in November I read the headlines: 'No need to fear or respect Bayern Munich anymore', 'The team is awful."
"But the development of my team since then has been sensational. We made maximum use of everything. It is not easy to win three titles," he added.
Flick replaced Niko Kovac in November after a 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and with Bayern having dropped out of the top three in the Bundesliga. But the former Germany assistant coach instantly turned the campaign on its head, leading Bayern to an unbeaten 2020 in every competition.
"It's such a huge joy, it feels like we have come a long way since November," said Mueller, who was a peripheral figure under Kovac. "I don't know how it looked from outside, but it felt like we deserved it in the way we played."
They have won 21 consecutive matches in all competitions and are on a 30-game unbeaten run. The Bavarians won every Champions League game this season - including a memorable 8-2 demolition of Barcelona in the quarterfinals - becoming the first side to do so.
"The team is always in the foreground," Flick said. "When you see how we worked until the 96th minute tonight in defence then it is a superb team spirit. Every player developed in such a way so as to win three titles. This only happens as a team."
Flick is the third coach in the last decade to win the Champions League having being appointed during a campaign, after Roberto di Matteo with Chelsea in 2011/12 and Zinedine Zidane with Real Madrid in 2015/16.
But, as Thomas Mueller described, it was also 'brutal' mental strength and focus that saw them through.
"We kept marching on this season, we were there for each other, ready to correct each other's mistakes," said attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller, benched by Kovac but sensational under Flick.
"We have amazing quality but it does not work if you are not ready to suffer. Our mental strength is brutal."
"This is not the start of a new era," said retired former Bayern captain Mark van Bommel. "This process has been going on since 2010 and new players keep coming in as the older leave but the success remains."
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