A swan song for Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng?

The DFB-Pokal semifinal between Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen might mark the last time that the terrific pairing of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng take the field together in the starting XI.

Niklas Sule emerged this season to usurp Boateng's role as a regular, but the 6-foot-4, 215-pound menace is suspended for the game thanks to a red card he was given against Heidenheim. For at least one more game, Hummels and Boateng will patrol the back line together. With Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard arriving in July, Bayern could lose one or both of Hummels and Boateng, with Boateng considered the most likely candidate to move on.

While the duo battled with its consistency earlier in the season, both have rounded into form and become a stable presence defensively. Hummels has overcome some earlier struggles by showing exceptional form since the start of 2019, while Boateng has also shown his quality when given the opportunity in recent weeks.

At a time where many are quick to point out an athlete's descent, it should be a time to recognize how strong and effective the 2014 World Cup-winning duo has been over the course of their respective careers. While Bayern might not have achieved Champions League glory since the pairing was formed in 2016, the central defenders have been among the top players in their positions in the world. Their respective futures may not be with Bayern, both players have proven that they still have much to offer on the pitch.

Time, however, is no longer on their side when it comes to a future in Bavaria. With one or both expected to leave this summer, the DFB-Pokal semifinal would be a terrific opportunity to watch the duo work their respective magic together one last time (unless you are a Werder Bremen fan of course).

It will truly be a changing of the guard this summer on the Bayern back line, but it won't be easy to replace the skill and intangibles brought to the table by Boateng and Hummels. In the end, the veteran leadership and experience of players like Hummels and Boateng cannot be easily replicated on a roster. Regardless of who stays and who goes, the duo offers much more than just their play on the field. Both are enormously popular with their teammates and are calming voices within the locker room.

While all of those factors may make them valuable to the club and good teammates to all, no athlete can outlast a club like Bayern. And for at least one of the former German internationals, the moment to move on from Munich will come soon enough; but there is no harm in being able to see the pairing enjoy at least one more start together.

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