When Pep Guaridola arrived at Bayern Munich in the summer of 2013, the club had reached its zenith with a treble of titles and the looks of more heights to be reached.
But two seasons into his tenure, the success of the renowned coach has wavered and after two straight Champions League failures of monumental proportions, it might be time for Bayern Munich to reflect on its future. Here are a few things the team must do to move forward.
There are some players that carry the greatest burdens of all. The so-called wunderkinds that are expected to arrive at the pantheon of soccer greats and excel there for years. The difficulty in this level expectation is in deciding what is expected of each player and when they will have fulfilled their potential. Not everyone can score the way Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can (in fact none have ever scored at that pace).
This has been the shadow following Mario Goetze throughout his still young career. The 22-year-old German has been identified as the next Messi because of his prolific passing and vision as well as his solid scoring.
But he has yet to reach that level of indispensability. Throughout last season he was still fighting for a starting position in Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich side; he finished the 2013-14 season with just 20 starts.
Now he is as close to indispensable as they come. And that has resulted from his ability to deliver in the clutch. It is that level that has also garnered him his first ever nomination among the 23 finalists for the Ballon d'Or. But does he have what it takes?
Real Madrid officially announced last week that German star Toni Kroos would be joining the club. The former Bayern Munich star adds tremendous depth to Real Madrid's the midfield and gives coach Carlo Ancelotti a diverse array of tactical options.
Germany will compete in its record seventh World Cup final, hoping to come away with their fourth title. The team won in 1954 before taking home the prize in 1974 and 1990, all on European soil, and are looking to become the first European side to win the Cup in South America.
