Three Talking Points from the Champions League Final
Here are three talking points that we can take from this year’s Champions League Final.
1. Coman is the unlikely hero
Not many people would have expected Kinglsey Coman to have even started on Sunday night.
Even fewer would have predicted him to be the man of the match and score the only goal of an otherwise forgettable Champions League final.
Coman hasn’t been a regular starter for Bayern this season and Ivan Peresic reminded everyone how good he can be in the quarter and semi-finals.
Therefore, with no injury to Perisic, it seemed to be a very odd decision to leave him on the bench and start the injury prone and unreliable Coman.
However, that is exactly why people that watch from the comfort of their homes, commentators and pundits aren’t the ones getting appointed as manager of one of the best clubs in the world.
Hansi Flick has proven himself in such a short space of time to be tactically acute and more than prepared to make the big decision in the big games, even if that means dividing opinion from outsiders.
This turned out to be a masterstroke of a decision which would have been hailed by the media as genius if it was Klopp or Pep Guardiola doing it.
Coman made the difference in a game that lacked quality elsewhere and the scrappy, often cagey nature of the game meant that his goal was the game’s winning and only goal.
It was his pace and skill which caused Kehrer all kinds of problems and the inexperienced full back simply couldn’t cope with Coman on the night.
However, the goal itself showed that Coman has another side of his game, as he ruthlessly nestled a header at the far post into the bottom corner.
Via CBS/2020 Pool
2. Neuer is back to his brilliant best
Manuel Neuer was the best goalkeeper in the world for years but before this campaign he had shown signs that his best days were behind him.
He has proven his doubters wrong; he’s had a very impressive season and it was topped off with an outstanding performance in the Champions League final.
He was a sweeper keeper when needed (a style of goalkeeping that he essentially invented) and he denied two of the best forwards in the game, Neymar and Mbappe, from scoring with strong saves.
Only Coman had a bigger influence on the game than Neuer and at the age of 34, to produce that kind of performance in a Champions League final is remarkable.
He proved yet again why he is the best goalkeeper in the world and it’s because the very best in whatever position it might be, perform in the big games.
Neuer is the epitome of a big game player, he is the man Bayern can always rely on to perform and guard the goal with his life in the most important occasions.
Via psgtalk.com
3. Davies is electrifying going forward and calmness personified defensively
He is already the best left-back in the world.
It’s a bold statement I know but he has been a revelation this season both domestically and in Europe as his big move to the Bundesliga has paid off.
Bayern have found a star in Ghana born Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies and at the age of 19, he has conquered everything there is to conquer in club football.
He played well again in the Champions League final despite not being at his breathtaking best as he ended his first season in Europe with his third and most important piece of silverware.
Despite struggling early on against Di Maria, he soon found his feet as he grew into the game.
He showed great composure and defensive awareness at times, whilst still making some of his notorious attacking runs.
He was also a constant overlapping outlet for Coman, which made life even more difficult for the often exposed Kehrer.
He may have some things to refine in his game but at 19 that is no surprise; he is destined for greatness and so wherever his career may take him, surely trophies will follow.
Via Getty Images