London – Lucas Hernández is back after a long injury, but not yet in top form. The return to the four-man backfield will be a disadvantage for the Frenchman.
Actually, Lucas Hernández has been brought in for 85 million euros for just such evenings as Chelsea FC. In order to give stability to FC Bayern’s defensive lineup in a Champions League round of 16 at the highest European level.
The French world champion is fit again after tearing his ankle ligament, playing 45 minutes against Cologne and 90 against Paderborn – the first time since 19 October. But in London of all places, Hernández is threatened with the bench again.
The main reason: Jérôme Boateng is returning to the squad after his yellow-card suspension from the Bundesliga and is due to play alongside David Alaba in central defence.
Boateng of all people! The 2014 World Champion has found his way back to his old strength, he trains hard. He is currently said to have a higher footballing class than Hernández.
Boateng no longer has the speed of earlier days, but he has mastered the opening diagonal ball, which is so important for the Bavarian system. His passing game has also improved enormously in recent weeks, as has his duel behaviour.
Hernández in search of top form
Hernández, on the other hand, is still looking for his best form and his parade position. Although he is showing strength in the duel, his game still seems restless overall. The game structure is also lacking from time to time.