5 Bayern Munich players who significantly improved under Jupp Heynckes
Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League 2017-18 saw Bayern Munich defeat PSG by three goals to one. The score, as straightforward as it seems, speaks volumes about the massive transformation the German side underwent since their heavy defeat to the Parisians. And rightfully, the whole credit for this mid-season renaissance goes to their new manager, Jupp Heynckes.
Among the various reasons cited for his predecessor, Carlos Ancelotti's failure at the beginning of Bayern's season was inefficient player management. Many of the players were delivering sub-par performances, and Ancelotti had no answer to their problems. Enter Jupp Heynckes with his cornucopia of solutions and the results were remarkable.
Not only did the team looked more organised under him, but also there was a surge in the individual output of players. Today we look at five such Bayern Munich players who have shown noteworthy development under Jupp Heynckes' guidance.
#5 Thomas Muller
Reigning world champions Germany had a decent Euro 2016 campaign, where they lost in the semi-final against France. The tournament, however, was a big disappointment for Thomas Muller. After two European Championships, the German forward was yet to open his account.
Muller's gloomy form continued in the 2016-17 season as he rarely found the net. His tally of nine goals was the lowest he had ever had in an entire season since 2009. With the current season not starting any better, Bayern supporters all across the world craved for a miracle. They could no longer see their most cherished player suffer in agony.
Jupp Heynckes turned out to be the answer to their prayers. In his first three appearances under Heynckes, Muller scored one goal and assisted twice. Unfortunately, a muscle injury halted his progress. Back on the pitch again, things can only get better for Muller. Also with FIFA World Cup 2018 only months away, the talismanic German is highly likely to regain his form under Heynckes.