Match Awards from Bayern Munich’s decisive 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in DFB-Pokal Semi-final

Der Kaiser — Dayot Upamecano

For a player who is known to produce errors in high-stakes match ups, Dayot Upamecano commanded the defense flawlessly. Physically imposing, positionally sound, and tidy on the ball, the Frenchman reminded Bayern faithful why the club broke the bank to tie him down until 2030. The rest earned between games has also come as a massive benefit to Upamecano. It makes one realize just how much of a difference there is between a well rested and exhausted “Upa”.

Fußballgott — Joshua Kimmich

Boring? Maybe. Undeniable? Certainly. Joshua Kimmich controlled the midfield from start to finish, proving to be a key figure on and — where the 31-year-old midfielder receives most of his criticism — off the ball. Kimmich finished the match with a 100% tackle success rate, completing both of his attempted tackles. He also proved to be combative throughout the match, winning five out of his eight ground duels. The mentality monster is locked in, and most importantly, he’s locked in when it matters most.

Der Bomber — Luis Díaz

While Michael Olise has, rightfully, been enjoying his time in the spotlight, Luis Díaz is subtly reminding the footballing world that Bayern have **two** of the best wingers in world football. “Lucho’s” 90th minute goal marks his 42nd goal contribution of the season in 44 appearances. Insane numbers for a player who arrived at Bayern with a price tag that didn’t match his age, and a reputation for being wasteful in front of goal. The 29-year-old winger put all such accusations to bed after his first few months in Munich, the rest has been pure privilege to witness — a class footballer enjoying the prime of his career This far into the season, I would never have thought that Liverpool would be the ones wishing for Díaz back instead of Bayern fans fantasizing about what could have been with Florian Wirtz. Now, all I want to see is Bayern’s number 14 marauding up and down the left flank, causing havoc and headache for every defense he comes up against.

Meister of the Match — Harry Kane

This is the most complete striker of his generation. Heck, if I’d been watching football for the game’s entire existence, I’d argue he’s the most complete striker of all time. All that matters: he plays for Bayern. Kane’s passing in particular shone against Leverkusen, picking out Olise with pinpoint accuracy on every attempt. Not only is crucial in build-up play, he’s found a way to balance it with his not so secret weapon: scoring goals. Forget Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé; the world’s best striker — potentially the world’s best footballer — is here in Munich. *If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…*

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