How Michael Olise puts himself in the Ballon d’Or frame at Bayern

A left-footed winger cutting in from the right flank? It just feels natural at Bayern Munich.

It was an Arjen Robben brand – now it’s Michael Olise’s.

Bayern go into the second leg of their last-16 tie with Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday with a 6-1 advantage.

That’s thanks to a scintillating performance from the 24-year-old in the first leg, when he scored twice and laid on an assist.

The performance was in line with Olise’s remarkable form since joining Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024 – nobody in Europe’s top five leagues has more than his 23 assists in all competitions this season, no winger can surpass his 38 goal involvements.

It’s no wonder he’s now being talked about as one of the best players on the planet.

“It’s nice to hear, but there’s still half the season to play, so I’m now focused on the team and on team titles,” said the typically relaxed Frenchman on a potential Ballon d’Or after his masterclass in Bergamo.

He may have a calm demeanor and a sluggish playing style, but behind the calm exterior is a steely determination.

“I don’t want to compare the players because they are not the same, but (he has) the mentality of (former Manchester City player) Kevin de Bruyne when I played with him,” Bayern boss Vincent Kompany said after the Atalanta game.

“I was lucky to see him come through as a young player and become a superstar. I saw the whole process and it’s that obsession with detail that Michael has.”