Shrewd signings turn Bayern Munich from title pretenders to recruiting champions

The impact of new additions like Lea Schuller, Viviane Asseyi, and Hanna Glas have been key to Bayern’s success, writes Martin Whiteley.

After finishing the last four seasons as runners-up, Bayern Munich’s savvy recruitment helped them come out on top in their duel with Wolfsburg to claim their third Frauen-Bundesliga championship.

Going into their final league game at home against Eintracht Frankfurt, leaders Bayern held a two-point advantage over Wolfsburg, who were also on home soil facing Werder Bremen. As expected, both the top two secured the three points — Bayern winning 4-0 and Wolfsburg by 8-0.

Bayern’s triumph represented a remarkable transformation for them since last season. Wolfsburg won the league by eight points, outscoring their closest rivals by 33 goals and conceding six fewer last year. This time, the champions outscored Wolfsburg by 11 and their defensive record was eight goals better than them.

New midfield recruits have contributed to the goals tally too. France midfielder Viviane Asseyi, who came from Bordeaux, and Germany star Klara Buh, signing from Freiburg, have scored nine and eight league goals respectively.

Sydney Lohmann, a product of the Bayern youth system, has also chipped in with 10 goals from the middle of the park to give them four players in the upper echelon of the league scoring charts.

At the other end of the field, Bayern’s defence has been nearly impossible to breach. A second-half penalty from Lena Goeßling for Wolfsburg in their ninth league game last November was the first time that goalkeeper Laura Benkarth had to pick the ball out of her net.

Only two other sides — Meppen and Freiburg — managed to score against the leaders in their first 17 league outings up to the end of March.

Sweden defender Hanna Glas, brought in from PSG, and another SGS Essen recruit Marina Hegering adding stability to the backline. The latter also has six goals to her name.

The final summer addition Austria midfielder Sarah Zadrazil has been an ever-present this league season too. 

Bayern will be hoping that their acquisitions for next season have the same impact as their 2020 crop. Janina Leitzig and Maximiliane Rall both arrive from Hoffenheim, with Saki Kumagai bringing all the winning mentality you would associate with a player that has seen the inner sanctum at Lyon. 

Deals have also been completed off the field as back in December coach Jens Scheuer agreed to an extension to his contract that now runs until June 2023.

Every club hopes that some of their new signings will offer productivity. The ability of Bayern to have had so many of their new faces contribute shows what a fabulous recruiting job has been done to take the team back from pretenders to title winners once more.

Follow Martin on Twitter at @673martin