Who needs Robert Lewandowski anymore? Germany legend calls the current Bayern Munich squad “the best of all time.”

Lothar Matthaus has claimed the current Bayern Munich squad is the best of all time despite Robert Lewandowski’s departure in the summer.

• Bayern allowed Lewandowski to leave for Barcelona
• Have moved on successfully from the Polish striker
• Matthaus hailed Bayern’s planning and squad depth

WHAT HAPPENED? After a troubled start to 2023, Julian Nagglesmann’s side are gradually turning up the heat as the campaign approaches the business end. They knocked out PSG from the Champions League with a 3-0 aggregate score and backed it up by another stellar performance in the Bundesliga, scoring five past Augsburg.

Die Roten are the highest scorers in Germany’s top flight as they have netted 71 times in just 24 matches, averaging almost three goals/game. And this is all without Robert Lewandowski who left for Barcelona in the summer. Matthaus, a club legend, has hailed Bayern for assembling the ‘best squad of all time’ and believes there are 20 potential starters in the team.

WHAT THEY SAID: “If everyone is fit, this is now the best Bayern squad in terms of quality of all time. Bayern now have twenty potential starting eleven players. In my time there were 13, later 16, 17. However, today you can change five times,” he said to Bild.

“A year and a half or two years ago I criticized that the Bayern squad wasn’t so well positioned across the board. I don’t think it’s because of my criticism, but there has been a rethink. Bayern have been very active in the last two transfer windows, and I have praised Brazzo (Hasan Salihamidzic) for that,” he added.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Matthaus also believes that the reigning Bundesliga title-holders are favourites to win the Champions League, but warned them of the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City: “Bayern reacted to all the failures. With (Yan) Sommer on (Manuel) Neuer, with (Joao) Cancelo and (Dailey) Blind on (Noussair) Mazraoui and (Theo) Hernández.

“It’s not just big names that win the Champions League, but big teams. I already said before the games against Paris: Bayern is capable of winning the title again this season. You’re one of the favourites, but not the top favourite. Then there’s Real (Madrid) and (Manchester) City. And don’t underestimate Benfica, Lisbon and Napoli.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:Getty ImagesGetty

WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH? The German giants return to action against Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.