"Bayern Munich's Decline Among Europe's New Elite Evident in Exit from Champions League"

Joshua Kimmich scored a meaningless penalty two hours and 53 minutes into Bayern Munich's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City. Bayern's 4-1 aggregate defeat saw them fall behind City's expected goal tally of 4.23, with both sides receiving questionable penalties. An opening banner in the Bayern end read "Kings of the Cup," but the reality saw the club clinging to a myth they can no longer sustain on the pitch. While Bayern had dominated early on, Leroy Sané's missed opportunity on goal served as a microcosm for the night: a lack of edge, with the City penalty box becoming an attack graveyard. Bayern's sale of Robert Lewandowski exemplified a departure from shopping in the premium aisle, a cut-price deal for Sadio Mané failing to provide the necessary cutting edge. Despite boasting financial dominance, Bayern's only Champions League campaign victory in the pandemic-mini tournament of 2020 indicates a lack of shared purpose and hard work among the stars. Hansi Flick's pressing style was flayed to ribbons, with Bayern essentially defending with six players. Bayern must recognize that their domination of European football is no longer guaranteed.

Instead, it is clubs such as City who are today’s establishment: imperious, institutionally secure, financially omnipotent. There is a treble there for the taking and it would be weirdly poetic if they did so by conquering Arsenal and Manchester United at home, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and Milan in Europe: a roll-call of Europe’s legacy clubs, all bowing to the coming force.

What does the new order of European football look like? Over the next few weeks we may be about to find out.