Superstars like Arjen Robben, Gilberto Silva and David Alaba miss out…
SEE ALSO: The top 10 managers in world football
Bayern Munich look like they’re about to win the Bundesliga without losing a single match.
Arsenal famously did the same back in 2003/04, so before tonight’s crunch Champions League clash, we’ve created an ultimate Invincible’s XI.
Here’s how it lines up…
Manager: Pep Guardiola
In the time between now, and when Arsene Wenger last won a competition, Guardiola retired from playing, won 14 trophies with Barca including two European Cups, and has only lost one competitive match with Bayern since taking over in the summer.
I’m afraid the Spaniard gets the nod, Wenger fans!
GK) Manuel Neuer – Bayern Munich
The German is rated by most as the best keeper in the world right now, while the Arsenal Invincible’s keeper Jens Lehmann was always rated as their weak link. Both are German, but Neuer’s a little better.
Click through the pages to see the rest of the team!
DR) Philipp Lahm – Bayern Munich
It’s impossible to leave Lahm out, but it’s also pretty difficult to decide where to put him, because he can play in both fullback positions and in holding midfield.
For the benefit of this side though, we’re sticking him at right-back, as he’s significantly better than Lauren was for the Gunners.
DC) Sol Campbell – Arsenal
Campbell forms one half of a tremendously powerful central defence. The Englishman was quick, aerially excellent, and could read the game expertly. His partner back in 2003/04 was Kolo Toure, and while the centre-back wasn’t nearly as error prone as he is now, Campbell was his superior.
DC) Dante
Dante is the leader of a current Bayern defence which has only conceded 11 goals all season in the Bundesliga. Unlike Campbell though, he’s a terrific passer as well as being strong, and he also has the technical ability to start attacks from deep with his mercurial left boot.
DL) Ashley Cole
Bayern’s current left-back David Alaba has the potential to develop into the world’s best, but a decade ago, there were few better than Ashley Cole.
The Englishman worked tirelessly in defence, while providing a constant option up the left flank as well.
MC) Patrick Vieira
Arsenal’s skipper at the time, Vieira is rated as one of the Premier League’s finest ever midfielders. His immense physicality enabled him to dominate the centre of the park, but he also had the vision to create chances for teammates, and the knack of scoring important goals.
Bayern have a tremendous number of midfielders of top, top quality – but none of Javi Martinez, Bastain Schweinsteiger or Thiago can even get in this team!
MC) Toni Kroos
Kroos is our favourite Bayern midfielder right now. He’s arguably the best passer in Europe, as his ludicrous statistics from this season’s Champions League displays. He completes 95.8% of his passes, and makes almost 100 every match – 10 of which are accurate long balls.
That’s breathtakingly good, although any of Bayern’s current batch wouldn’t look out of place slotted in next to Vieira in this midfield.
AMR) Franck Ribery
It’s difficult to leave out a player just voted as third best in the world behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo…
Ribery’s a wonderful dribbler, but also has the ability to carve open teams with his exquisite through-balls. Similarly, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller are world-class players, but Ribery just about gets the nod – meaning Arsenal’s Freddie Ljungburg also misses out.
AML) Robert Pires
Watching Pires at full flow was a privilege. The Frenchman won the Premier League Player of the Year award in 2001/02, and although he wasn’t rapid (unlike Bayern’s Robben who is cruelly missing out) he had a creative, genius spark.
Pires could create chances for teammates seemingly at will, and linked up fantastically with Thierry Henry.
AM/FC) Dennis Bergkamp
A statue of the legendary Dutchman has recently been unveiled outside the Emirates, confirming the playmaker’s status as one of the finest talents to grace English football.
His perfect touch, clever positioning and ability to slide teammates through on goal with deft flicks, scoops or chips meant he became the favourite of every neutral as well.
While Mario Gotze has the potential to grow into one of the world’s finest midfield creators, he isn’t at Bergkamp’s level yet.
FC) Thierry Henry
This one was easy.
The best striker to ever grace the Premier League was at his jaw dropping best during Arsenal’s unbeaten season. He bagged 30 in the league and 39 in all competitions, and went on to score 226 for Arsenal before leaving the club.
Henry scored beautiful goals, too – and his ability to nonchalantly curl the ball inside the far post was virtually unrivalled.
Current Bayern forward Mario Mandzukic doesn’t come close.
