Losing hurts. You can try to say it doesn’t, but it does.
Losing hurts even more when it is your favorite team playing in the biggest game of its season (which also happened to be the one of the most-viewed sporting events in the world).
The team I am talking about is Bayern München and the game I am talking about is the 2012 Champions League final.
I bring up that game because the 2013 Champions League kicked off this past week, and once again the best soccer teams in the world face off with each other to crown the king of Europe.
For Bayern München, this year is all about redemption. After losing in the final, which was played in their home stadium, Der FCB only has one option: winning the Champions League.
And how sweet it would be for Bayern’s fans to win the championship after losing two of the last three finals.
It’s not that unrealistic to think they will win the Champions League this year.
In Bayern’s first group play match Wednesday, the team looked to be in the form which propelled them to the final last season.
They collected an impressive win that by all accounts should have ended with a more lopsided score than the 2-1 result it did.
I know you cannot judge how an entire season will go after one game, but Bayern was not only dominant in their opener— they have shut down all opponents they faced so far this year.
Four matches into the Bundesliga season, Bayern has outscored opponents by 12 goals, scoring 14 and only giving up two.
Their smallest margin of victory domestically is two goals. Looking at the DFB Cup, Bayern easily took care of their first round game, winning 4-0.
This team has not lost a game yet this season, and right now it doesn’t look like they will lose anytime soon.
And if you look at the names on the roster, it is no wonder why they have dominated.
Some say the best offense is a good defense. Well, you can’t get any better than having arguably the best goalkeeper in Europe in Manuel Neuer.
Moving up, there is Jèrôme Boateng and Phillip Lahm on defense; Frank Ribèry, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos in the midfield; and Thomas Müller and Mario Gomez up top at forward.
Some of those names, like Müller and Schweinsteiger, come off the bench in most matches. Bayern München is not lacking in depth.
That has partially to do with the arrival of some new talent. Additions like Javi Martinez, Mario Mandžuki and Xherdan Shaqiri only bolster an already impressive lineup.
Bayern has the personnel to make it back to the final and take home the trophy. And unlike last season when they were drawn into the “group of death”, there is really no question they will make it out of the group stage.
They already put down Valencia FC once in their first match. Rounding off the group are FC BATE Borisov and OSC Lille; not your toughest competition.
When Bayern München made it to the Champions League final last season, I was the first one to say they had won the cup before the game even started.
Oh, how I was wrong. And that defeat hurt a lot.
For the diehard fans of Bayern München, a category where you will find my name, it was expected that Die Roten would win it all. When they came up short, the heartbreak was almost unbearable.
This Champions League season is one of redemption for Bayern. Bringing home the cup this season is the only way to heal the hurt of losing at home last season.
How do you think Bayern München will finish this season? Let Matt know at mdkleist@dailycardinal.com
