Michael Olise: Bayern Munich’s genius at work | OneFootball

Michael Olise illuminated Bergamo as Bayern Munich routed Atalanta 6-1, scoring twice and supplying a sublime assist to leave the tie on the brink. NY Times notes how his presence made intricate plans feel unnecessary.

With Harry Kane absent from the XI and later unused, Atalanta sensed opportunity despite Giorgio Scalvini suspended and Charles De Ketelaere and Ederson sidelined. Raffaele Palladino persisted with a 4-4-2 led by Nikola Krstovic and Gianluca Scamacca. Olise had already cut in from the right to curl home.

Pressed, back-up keeper Jonas Urbig went long after Dayot Upamecano’s signal. Olise cushioned the dropping ball then released Serge Gnabry to make it 3-0 after 25 minutes.

That was his 26th assist of a season still in March. After the break he bent another into the top corner, Bayern’s fifth.

Atalanta declined to double up, leaving Olise against Lorenzo Bernasconi, a wing-back up from last season’s under-23s, and he dominated. Bayern have 134 goals in 39 games this season, evoking Barcelona’s MSN and Real Madrid’s BBC peaks.

Bayern have left Atalanta needing a miracle to reach the quarter-finals. If they reach Budapest in May, Olise, in this form, could be the next Ballon d’Or winner, just as Ousmane Dembele powered Paris Saint-Germain’s surge to Munich last season.

Vincent Kompany credited Patrick Vieira and Oliver Glasner for starting Olise’s trajectory at Crystal Palace, and lauded his obsession with detail, likening the mentality to Kevin De Bruyne’s. He added Bayern must still push him to do more.

Source: NY Times