What Bayern must do to smash the record books

The Bavarians are hitting peak form at a critical point in their season. Still alive on three fronts, Goal.com considers the German giants' chances to rewrite club history.Four European Cup trophies, 22 domestic championships, 15 league cup titles. There are few achievements in club football that Bayern Munich have not managed in their illustrious 112-year history. But one of them is a treble.They lifted three consecutive European Cups from 1974-76, and the Champions League in 2001, but on none of these occasions were the German giants able to also wrap up a domestic double. The elusive honour remains something to have evaded their grasp.All that could change in the coming weeks. As it stands, Bayern are just 10 games away from a potential treble. And having won their last eight consecutive matches in all competitions while conceding only twice in the process, they have hit form at just the right time.To each competition there is a separate strategy that must be adopted. For now, Bayern are looking from game to game, but Jupp Heynckes will surely be pragmatic enough to formulate his plans with one eye on the following fixture.In the Bundesliga, Bayern must be aggressive. Scoring goals should always be first priority domestically: the risk of conceding is just one point, with the potential gain being two. And against teams like Augsburg and Mainz, FCB will have to take a forward-minded approach.With Dortmund still three points clear in first place, the onus is on Bayern to win all their remaining league fixtures, including next Wednesday’s clash with the leaders. But visiting the Westfalenstadion to face a team a class above any other German opposition they will encounter, Bayern will have to give their all.Rotation before and after the BVB clash will be a necessity to keep the squad fresh. There is enough depth in midfield for the Bavarians to handle the stresses of a congested schedule. And if they can win their six remaining Bundesliga games, there is no stopping them from lifting the title in May.In the DFB-Pokal and Champions League, however, Bayern will have to take on a different approach. To their benefit, it is one that suits Heynckes very well. Defence is of utmost importance in knockout competitions based on the simple truth that a draw is a more positive result than it is in the league. If Bayern don’t concede in Europe or the Pokal, their only chance of being eliminated is through a penalty shoot-out.Keeping a clean sheet against Dortmund in the Pokal final will be hard enough, but against Real Madrid’s world-class attack, it will be even more difficult. Jose Mourinho's men have tremendous individual class, and a variety of threats around the field.A two-legged tie against the Primera Division leaders will be more complicated than a home clash against Barcelona or Chelsea, provided Bayern are at full strength in each game. But that provision is not at all safe to assume. The Germans will not only have to be concerned with the spectre of injury and fatigue, but also suspension.Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba and Luiz Gustavo all are just one booking from being banned from their next Champions League outing this season. And in their delicate situation may lay the balance between being crowned European club champions for a fifth time and another disappointing exit.It is hard enough to beat Real Madrid, but to do so without any of five players being booked during the two legs is a near impossibility. And if Bayern advance to the final, they will need a full squad.With schedule congestion and suspension worries to deal with, Bayern are in for a challenge at the season's end. But it was always going to be difficult, with Europe's finest to contend with in the Champions League, and a must-win game against a Dortmund side who have won the last three clashes with the Munich giants.But Bayern are still just 10 matches away from taking everything and making history. And if they do, they'll have deserved it.