How Eric Dier went from Tottenham reject to Bayern Munich's rock at the back
Never mind the glittering shootout between Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, star billing in the first of the Champions League semi-finals belongs to a man transformed from Tottenham outcast to the rock of Bayern Munich.
Eric Dier has been something of a sensation in Germany. At first, they wondered why Thomas Tuchel wanted a player written off by Spurs but, within three months, he has become established as the first defender on the team sheet.
Solid, dependable, vocal. Organising and improving others around him. Also, reviving hopes of an England recall with his international career stuck on 49 caps. It is a classic from the redemption genre.
'Eric has topped our expectations,' said Bayern boss Tuchel ahead of Saturday's win at Eintracht Frankfurt. 'Topped them absolutely. We are very satisfied with him. He has given us a lot of stability. He is a great character, a lot of fun, with a lot of energy, very open minded. And a very good player.'
Dier joined Bayern for £3.4million on deadline day, initially on a short-term deal until the end of the season when his Tottenham contract was set to expire but quickly reached the preset clause for appearances to trigger another year in Munich.
Steffen Freund, a Spurs icon working as a co-commentator for RTL Germany, Servus TV Austria and international Bundesliga coverage, was among the minority who thought he would be a hit in the Bundesliga.
'Straight away, I thought it was a fantastic signing for Bayern,' Freund tells Mail Sport. 'Cheap for an experienced international defender who can play in three or four positions. Maybe not the quickest but he reads the game and makes very few individual mistakes.
'I am watching Bayern many times and my only question is why Spurs let him go. He is
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