Absolutely right. Last season, Real lost to a weak Barcelona, and Bayern practically lost the title to Dortmund (but they couldn’t take it in the last round) and City’s victory in the Champions League against the backdrop of such weakened competitors looked like a freebie. This year Bayern solved their problem with a striker, and although Real Madrid have not solved this problem, they have Bellingham + Vinny who are a nightmare for any defense. Taking into account the fact that now City also has problems with the squad, everyone is in an approximately equal situation, much will depend on the timing of personal meetings. If one team is in the optimal composition and the other is not, then of course this will greatly shift the chances.
Every team has its own problems after half a season. Most of them have lost strength due to injuries, but I think Bayer is the most stable so far. Entering this sprint stage, just one small mistake can cost a lot. The upcoming addition to the squad could be a big turning point for the rest of the season. In addition to the player factor, we need to take into account the experience of the Coach. If you have a strong squad but the coach does not managed well, the club will still able to lose. In this aspect, I appreciate Pep and Ancelotti the most.
Last season real Madrid and Bayern Munich aren't the same bro, changes is bound to happen and this time around the table might turn. If you were saying this thing like a month ago I would have argued with you vividly because the Manchester city that was playing was really shaky to even play with the might of real Madrid and harry Kane Bayern Munich but seeing that the magnificent Belgium has resumed game time and I would not that Manchester city will defeat Bayern and also real Madrid because the presence of Kevin changes alot of things.
It seems like you overestimated Kevin. Agree with you that Kevin's return at this time is very urgent for Mancity, it is easier for them to play their style of play than before. I also highly appreciate Kevin's abilities, but in the UCL arena is a different story. With the weakness of age and newly recovered injury, I think Kevin will be somewhat inferior to Real and Bayern, especially in the competition duels in the midfield. It is not easy for Mancity to freely deploy their playing style like playing in the Premier League.