Bastian Schweinsteiger: Bayern midfield maestro in no mood for repeat of Champions League final regret

As a general rule it is best to avoid articles that begin with a taxi driver tale, but stick with it. This one came from a Turkish-American plying his trade in Munich and concerned the players of Bayern.

They tend to monopolise attention in Bavaria and a club nicknamed FC Hollywood has over the years produced its share of stories that have something of the night about them.

But this one was different. It was about Bastian Schweinsteiger, who as a young man with a boy-band haircut, fast car and natural talent was known throughout Germany as Schweini.

It was a bit like Gazza, but whereas Paul Gascoigne could never escape Gazza, or never tried hard enough, Schweinsteiger left Schweini and his late nights, smuggling a girlfriend into the training ground jacuzzi and various pranks behind. He was a competition-level skier in his youth. But he goes off-piste no more, or so it is said.

Now Basti – his other moniker – is a solid citizen. According to the taxi driver, Schweinsteiger is often seen in downtown Munich’s Englischer Garten having a kickabout with his mates. This was confirmed by others at Bayern. Basti lives with his model girlfriend in Schwabing in the middle of the city. It’s a student area. Schweinsteiger may be a German superstar, but he is an approachable German superstar.

It was a tale that chimed with the impression that at 28 – soon to be 29 – Schweinsteiger has matured into one of the finest midfielders in Europe, and also into himself. He had been a fleet-of- foot winger when first thrust into the limelight by Ottmar Hitzfeld more than a decade ago.

Today he is an accomplished midfield general, capable of sitting and attacking. In his 15th year, man and boy, at Bayern Munich, Schweinsteiger looks the finished article.

Real strategist
We overuse words like compelling and immense in sports reporting but in the second leg of the semi- final in Barcelona, both descriptions applied to Schweinsteiger.

Up against Xavi and Andres Iniesta, Bayern's midfield leader compared most favourably. His reading of the game, his execution of passes, short and long, simple or difficult, was excellent. Of all midfields, Barcelona's could not match it.

When Bayern’s manager Jupp Heynckes spoke of him last week, he said: “For me, Bastian is maybe the best midfielder in the world and he has proved that a number of times recently. He is a real strategist, he is the head of the team.”

The player’s modest reply was: “My advantage this season is that I’ve not been injured. It’s a great compliment, but the focus is not on those comments, it’s on the team, the manager and how we play in London.”

Schweinsteiger talks like he is Bayern’s captain, even if he is not – Philipp Lahm is. But then Schweinsteiger should be familiar with mistaken identity: for a large part of his career he seems to have been saying who he isn’t rather than who he is.

He wasn't Patrick Vieira for starters, though some said he was. Neither was he Roy Keane, nor Inieista.

And as for David Beckham, Schweinsteiger made the point three years ago, when he was 25, that he wanted to be known as a footballer, not as a football celebrity.

“Some people made me out to be a little Beckham,” said Schweinsteiger. “But I’m not. I have decided that I don’t want to be called Schweini any more when I’m 30. I think that young guy, Schweini, doesn’t exist any more.”

On and off the pitch, he has developed. But there is of course, something missing. In his 11 seasons in the Bayern first team Schweinsteiger has won the Bundesliga six times, including this season, and the German Cup five times.

Achieved retribution
Bayern are in the final again next Saturday. Those 98 caps for Germany cannot be overlooked either.

But there is no European winner’s medal on the mantelpiece in Schwabing. Three years ago Schweinsteiger was in the team that lost 2-0 to Inter Milan in Madrid in the final.

Last year, he achieved retribution, or must have felt he had when, back the Bernabeu for the semi-final second leg, he scored the deciding penalty in the shoot-out that took Bayern through to the final, on their home turf.

Unfortunately for him and Bayern, there would be another penalty shoot-out against Chelsea. Bayern scored their first three, while Juan Mata missed Chelsea’s first. Ivica Olic missed for Bayern and it was 3-3 when Schweinsteiger faced Petr Cech. Cech got a fingertip on the shot and it hit the post. The Bayern red jersey went over Schweinsteiger’s head. Didier Drogba then did what Schweinsteiger could not and Munich’s home advantage became a wake.

It is not something he has forgotten. It has been mentioned as a motivation, but when Schweinsteiger talked of why Bayern’s chance this year might be greater than last he applied grown- up logic.

“Compared to the final against Chelsea, we are stronger . . . we are stronger on the bench. This is a crucial point. Chelsea brought on Fernando Torres and Florent Malouda in that final and that helped them win the game . . . We have more options to change.”

Schweinsteiger and Munich sound ready.

Wembley play-off: Watform and Palace compete for multi-million pound prize

Less than 48 hours on from the Champions League final, Wembley stages another game of great significance. Watford face Crystal Palace in the Championship play-off final in what used to be known as the "£90 million match".

However, given the increase in parachute payments and the new Premier League television deal that kicks in next season, £120 million may be closer to the mark.

This week’s revelation that QPR, who finished bottom, received £39.8 million last season in TV money shows the scale of what’s on offer.

That is expected to jump by between £10 million – £20 million next season, for coming last.

This is just one part of economic life in the Premier League. No wonder the owners of Udinese bought Watford and pushed Serie A-grade loan players at Vicarage Road.

But even if it goes wrong next season, and the one after, for either Palace or Watford, the TV payment from the Premier League – part of the parachute – which Wolves have just received should calm brows: £15.5 million. Now, Wolves have been mismanaged at boardroom level for about 18 months to the point where they have swapped the English Premier League for League One.

However, even they should be able to make £15.5 million
count against clubs with the resources of Stevenage and Colchester.