Top-two Bundesliga clash the latest test for blossoming Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick

Hansi Flick has been a revelation as Bayern Munich manager and this weekend he leads his side against RB Leipzig in a meeting of the Bundesliga’s top two.

Niko Kovac was barely out the Allianz Arena exit door by the time a speculative shortlist of potential replacements had been drawn up.

Mauricio Pochettino, out of work since his surprise sacking at Tottenham, was seen by many as a good fit for the Bayern Munich job. Erik ten Haag, the mastermind behind Ajax’s recent resurgence, was also mentioned. Some reports even claimed Pep Guardiola, increasingly irritated at Manchester City, could be lured back to Bavaria.

Few at the time would have predicted that Hansi Flick, the man hired as interim manager to hold the fort, would stand a genuine chance of becoming the king of the castle. Indeed, speculation over who could arrive at the Allianz Arena has stopped swirling. All signs now point towards Flick being given the position on a permanent basis this summer.

“We are playing successful and enchanting football under Hansi Flick, just like we want to,” Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer explained in a recent interview. “If he keeps winning like this, there is no alternative.”

Lothar Matthaus has even gone as far as comparing Flick to “a young Jupp Heynckes.”

Flick has certainly made a strong impression in his first few months as the main man at Bayern Munich. Their upturn in form has been dramatic, winning their last six Bundesliga games in succession, scoring 23 times in the process for good measure.

It’s been enough to pull them back to the top of the table, with RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund all left to ponder whether another opportunity to topple the German champions has passed them by.

While Kovac made a point of focusing on the future, casting aside the old guard, Flick has struck a more delicate balance. The likes of Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and David Alaba are happier under the new manager and that is resulting in better performances on the pitch. Flick is getting more out of what is already at the the Allianz Arena.

It’s not that Flick is comprising Bayern Munich’s future. Alphonso Davies has been a revelation since being installed at left back, with Alaba moving into the center of defense to shore up a previously vulnerable backline. 18-year-old Joshua Zirkzee has two goals in just two appearances since being promoted to the senior squad. On top of this, Sarpreet Singh (20), Oliver Batista (18), Lukas Mai (18) and Leon Dajaku (18) have all been named in matchday squads by Flick.

He might not boast the pedigree or name recognition of Pochettino or even ten Haag, but Flick is a compelling character in his own right. The former midfielder was Joachim Low’s long-time Germany assistant, a key part of a coaching team which saw Die Mannschaft win the 2014 World Cup.

After that, Flick was hired as the DFB’s sporting director, overseeing all areas of the sport’s development in Germany. This is a figure who is qualified in a number of different soccer disciplines, someone who has a strong understanding of what it takes to succeed at the elite level of the modern game.

Sunday’s clash with title rivals RB Leipzig could underline the impact Flick has made in a short space of time. Victory would install Bayern Munich as firm favorites to retain their Bundesliga crown, and with a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea just three weeks away the return of the Champions League could hardly be better timed for the in-form Bavarians.

Joshua Kimmich has praised Flick for his “clear ideas,” while Robert Lewandowski, in the mist of a potentially record-breaking season, claims the 54-year-old is “the right man” to take Bayern Munich forward. Given the backing Flick now has from within the dressing room, and the recent results he has enjoyed, it’s going to take a strong character to not give him the job for real.