4 Things Bayern Munich Need to do to Become Champions of Europe Again

Bayern Munich have had a relatively easy time in the domestic scene, having won the last seven Bundesliga titles and claiming four DFB Pokal wins in the same period.

However, ever since their treble-winning campaign in the 2012/13 season under Jupp Heynckes, the Bavarian giants and their fans have wanted to reach the pinnacle of European football and lift the Champions League again.

In order to accomplish that feat, Die Roten have to do several things to improve in the European competition - here are four of them.

Sack Niko Kovač

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We are well aware that wanting to have a manager sacked who has won the domestic double in his first season, something that Carlo Ancelotti never achieved with Bayern, is very unfair on Kovač. However, it is, unfortunately, the harsh reality that is required in order for Der FCB to once again become the elite side of Europe.

Kovač and Bayern had a tough first half of the season as they fell behind Dortmund by nine points, which prompted huge question marks over the former Bayern player's ability to manage big egos and whether he is capable of running the show at the Allianz Arena. Despite clawing back the points to win the league, those question marks still remain.

Prior to getting the Bayern job, Kovac only had one coaching stint under his belt from his time at Frankfurt - not exactly the elite pedigree Bayern are used to.

With managers on the market who have had great European experiences, such as Arsène Wenger, Massimiliano Allegri or Leonardo Jardim, it makes sense for Bayern to appoint one of those managers in hopes of securing a Champions League trophy.

Replace 'Robbéry'

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The two wingers who combined to score the winner against Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final have left the club as they edge closer to retirement. With that, there is a heavy void of experience and quality lacking in the wide areas of the squad. 

Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry have had a wonderful season but have not been able to produce on the biggest stage and reinforcements are needed - especially considering Coman's injury history. Alphonso Davies is a great prospect signed from MLS last season, but is not ready to play Champions League football yet.

Knowing the gap in the squad, Bayern have targeted players such as Nicolas Pépé and Leroy Sané but they have yet to pull the trigger on those targets. 

Invest in Youth

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At the start of the 2018/19 season, Bayern had the highest average age of any club in the Bundesliga. As the season progressed, some young players did see a lot of game time with Gnabry, Coman, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka all playing over 1000 minutes.

Die Roten have already invested in youth this summer with Jann Fiete-Arp, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez all joining the Bavarians whilst older players such as Mats Hummels and Rafinha have parted ways with the club. 

However, the club also needs to start playing more of their youth so that experienced stars such as Robert Lewandowski, Thiago and David Alaba can get some rest for the big Champions League fixtures. Fiete-Arp is probably not ready for the Bundesliga so signing Timo Werner from RB Leipzig would be a great option when Lewandowski needs a week off. Renato Sanches and the returning Corentin Tolisso can fill Thiago's role and Davies could also play left-back to give Alaba some much-needed rest.

Fix the Defence

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While this issue has already been identified and acted upon in the transfer market with the signings of Pavard and Lucas, Bayern still need to build a better defence on the pitch ASAP.

Club captain Manuel Neuer had a shockingly poor season by his standards, in which his inability to keep out shots meant that Bayern, despite having three World Cup winners in their defence, conceded 32 goals in the Bundesliga - their worst since 2010/11. Mats Hummels has already joined rivals Dortmund despite a solid Rückrunde, whilst Jerome Boateng's future is still in limbo after a disastrous campaign. 

This means FC Hollywood need to make defence a massive priority throughout the season, and with the memory of Liverpool slotting three past them in the Champions League last season (at home, no less), Bayern should have all the motivation they need to get to work.