By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The significant upswing of two wavering stars delivers impressive examples of the impact of Bayern's new coach Julian Nagelsmann.
The Bavarian supporters might rub their eyes in disbelief witnessing the performance of Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane.
The strikers turned from problem cases into valuable forces due to their coach's gentle actions. The duet makes Bayern one of the 2021/2022 Champions League favorites.
The scenes couldn't be more diverse as both went through dark times not addressing the required quality level.
Like walking on clouds made of satisfaction, the 25-year-old Sane left the pitch after 79 overwhelming minutes. Thundering applause and a wave rolling through the Munich arena accompanied his way out.
The former Citizens striker might have remembered being booed by his side's fans only a few weeks ago in a league encounter against Cologne.
After being awarded man of the match, Sane spoke of Nagelsmann as the igniting point of the upswing.
"The coach told me about his strategy for the team and me. I moved more to the center and have more actions compared to only staying along the left flank," the Bayern forward said.
Sane admitted the booing had made him sad and think about his future in Bayern's shirt. The coach pointed the way back to happiness.
Gnabry is telling a similar story. Nagelsmann recommended the attacker to rely on his street footballer gens.
"Serge is a player that needs the freedom to decide what his instincts tell him. It's important for him not to overthink things too much. Thinking too much about what is right or wrong, is affecting his actions," the Bayern coach commented.
Following a disappointing last season including a devastating 2020 Euro, Gnabry left the pitch with a smile running over his face.
Last season's troubles caused by injuries and a COVID infection were a thing of the past after his stunning goal securing Bayern's 3-0 lead after a Sane assist.
Aside from Thomas Mueller, Gnabry is the next Bayern player expected to extend his contract shortly after Joshua Kimmich (2025) and Leon Goretzka (2026) signed a new contract.
"It makes Bayern's game unpredictable that so many of its players score goals," former Leipzig manager and TV pundit Ralf Rangnick assumed.
In all of its last 81 competitive games, Bayern managed to score 45 goals in the last nine games, which stands for a new mark in the club's history aside from spearhead Robert Lewandowski continuing his goal hunt. After two rounds of matches, the Pole is at four goals, making it 77 in his Champions League career.
"We are on fire, we want to win every game, we want to win the Champions League," Gnabry said, while Sane stated "things can go on like this."
Nagelsmann claims Bayern's newly gained stability in the back allows an enchanting performance upfront: "It's important to develop the same greediness defending the goal as we develop when scoring."
As it seems, it's the Bavarian coach's most important task to keep spirits up until crunch times in the Champions League are emerging next spring. Top European sides such as Paris, City, and Liverpool might stand for new challenges. Enditem