Match awards from Bayern Munich’s 4:0 win against Benfica in the Champions League

Jersey Swap: Julian Weigl

The German midfielder is a well-known face to all of us who watch Bundesliga regularly. The former Borussia Dortmund player was one of the better players in Benfica’s squad. He kept his team’s midfield very well organized and often got into important duels and won the ball. Weigl was also one of the most vocal Benfica players before the match, and it has to be said — Benfica played really well, but in the end, Bayern Munich came on top in a superb ending.

Der Bomber: Kingsley Coman

The Frenchman returned to the starting lineup after he had minor heart surgery, and what a comeback it was! Coman was one of the best players on the pitch for a long time and kept Bayern’s attack fresh, and often gave headaches to Benfica’s defenders. His dribbling was on point, as well as his movement. If Kingsley had more luck he could have ended the match with a goal or an assist. He assisted Robert Lewandowski in the first half, but the goal was eventually ruled out because the Pole scored with his hand. He also had a couple of good shots as well — in the first half he had a brilliant shot from the box, but Odysseas Vlachodimos saved it. Later in the second half, he made a solo effort, but after a splendid run, his shot went just over the crossbar.

Der Fußballgott: Joshua Kimmich

Bayern Munich’s versatile midfielder was all over the pitch tonight. This was a powerful performance for him, as he dominated throughout the match. He relentlessly covered the pitch and made tons of crucial tackles and blocks during his time on the pitch. His passing was, once again, world-class and therefore helped immensely with transitional play. Although Marcel Sabitzer is definitely a great player, he still needs some time to adjust. It seemed like Kimmich took a lot of burden in the midfield, but he didn’t mind. Kimmich finished the match with a whopping 91% successful passes, and he was also crucial for Leroy Sane’s second goal, as he made the perfect pass to Josip Stanišić.

Der Kaiser: Manuel Neuer

There isn’t much to say about Neuer’s performance. The man is one of the greatest ever, and he is almost always ready to react with a brilliant save. Benfica played carefully throughout the match, but they tried to score on the counter. Benfica had a couple of decent chances, but Neuer wouldn’t let anything pass by him tonight. He made three big saves to keep Bayern in the game, and one of his best saves came in the first half when he saved a strong shot just from the edge of the box. Neuer also managed an impressive 89% successful passes. Impressive night from Bayern’s captain as he made his 100th appearance for Bayern in the Champions League.

Meister of the Match: Leroy Sane

Wow! What a performance from Bayern’s winger! He had his chances in the first half, but he just lacked a little bit of luck to beat Vlachodimos. In the second half, he turned it on and scored two goals, and assisted one. His first goal came from a free-kick, and that goal opened the scoreline for Bayern and marked the end of Benfica. The Bavarians smelled blood, as Benfica’s play fell apart after they conceded. After that, goals just kept on going, and mostly thanks to Sane’s efforts. The second goal was an own goal. The third scored Lewandowski after Sane’s selfless assist. And the last goal was a wonderful team effort, in the end, Josip Stanišić passed the ball to Sane, who smashed the ball behind the goalkeeper’s back. Sane’s metamorphosis is such a wonderful thing to witness. He has already been labeled a flop, but now he is one of the most important parts of Nagelsmann’s system.