EFC Bayern, who had been running desperately for a long time, clearly missed the “Miracle of Munich” without the necessary goal punch. The dreamed-of Champions League comeback against Manchester City failed on Wednesday evening in the seething Allianz Arena despite all attempts at 1: 1 (0: 0). City’s goal machine Erling Haaland ensured the final knockout of the German soccer champions, who had lost the first leg 0: 3, when star coach Pep Guardiola returned to Munich in the 57th minute.
Joshua Kimmich’s converted hand penalty came too late for a historic comeback (83′). For the emotionally charged Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, the game even ended in the stands after he saw the yellow-red card for complaining (86th).
Bayern simply lacked the class that characterized the England champions in both games in key offensive moments, such as when international Leroy Sané missed a big chance (17 minutes). For the third year in a row, the quarter-finals became the terminus in the premier class. Guardiola, on the other hand, is now playing with his team around national player Ilkay Gündogan against defending champions Real Madrid for a place in the final.
Yellow and red card for Bayern Munich coach Tuchel
The ex-Dortmunder Haaland had even given the tireless Bayern a second chance in front of 75,000 spectators when he shot a hand penalty over the goal (35th). After the DFB Cup knockout against SC Freiburg, the Bundesliga leaders have the championship as the only chance for the title after the bosses around Oliver Kahn completed the change of coach from Julian Nagelsmann to Tuchel in the decisive phase of the season.
“We had them hooked again, even more so than in Manchester. In 180 minutes we didn’t get any encouragement or luck at all. I’m very satisfied. Two couldn’t keep up the level: the place and the referee. Grade six from the first minute,” said Tuchel at DAZN.
Captain Joshua Kimmich struggled with the missed opportunities. “We definitely wanted to take the lead. We had very good chances. We needed the lead against City to make them wobble. It’s very annoying that we don’t make it 1-0. If you look at both games, it wasn’t because of will. We didn’t play well for 30, 35 minutes. We weren’t the worse team, but we’re going out clearly. It was realistic to score three goals. But then you have to take the chances,” said Kimmich.
Bayern’s belief in the miracle had by no means vanished. In a tingling premier class atmosphere, there was sometimes a lot of action on and off the pitch, so that even the two national team colleagues Kimmich and Gündogan clashed in a scuffle at the end of the first half – and both saw the yellow card for it. Tuchel also gave full commitment in the coaching zone and repeatedly got into a fight with the French referee Clement Turpin – which even earned him the yellow-red card.
Dayot Upamecano was also not on good terms with the referee. The Frenchman, who was already the tragic figure in the first leg with his mistake at 0: 2, initially saw the red card in the 19th minute because of an emergency brake on Haaland, which was withdrawn because the Norwegian was clearly offside. In addition, Turpin punished a slight handball by his compatriot in the penalty area and pointed to the point – an extremely tough decision. A scene that had no consequences because Haaland hammered the ball over the goal and thus left Bayern in the game (37th).
Upamecano back in focus
That changed in the second half when Upamecano slipped away in a duel with the goalscorer. Haaland did not let this gift be taken away. It was his twelfth goal in this premier series and his 48th goal in City jersey since the start of the season.
It was a game at the highest level, for Bayern a “monster task against what is probably the best team in Europe at the moment”, as club boss Oliver Kahn stated. There was no place in the starting XI for striker Thomas Müller. “I have the feeling that it’s not a Thomas Müller game,” said Tuchel at DAZN, explaining his decision and wanting to beat the English champions with dribbling and speed.
He should have liked the appearance of his Bavarians in this regard. Bayern played aggressively, powerfully and with great commitment. A lot went through the fast Frenchman Kingsley Coman, but the precision of the flanks was lacking.
This also applied to Leroy Sané, who had a great opportunity to lead when he was free. But the striker not only put the ball past goalkeeper Ederson, but also narrowly missed the City goal (17th). The national striker had already missed a few chances in the first leg. The absence of a goalscorer like Robert Lewandowski was evident in these highlight games.
Except for the exploitation of chances – in the first round alone there were 10:4 shots on goal – the Munich team didn’t have much to blame themselves for. Jamal Musiala was very present and also initiated the huge chance just before the break when Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was unlucky with a heel (45+2).
In any case, the dreaded ball possession machine did not run smoothly at Man City. The fact that the English were pushed into their own half far too often annoyed Pep Guardiola at his old place of work. The Spaniard failed three times with Bayern in the semi-finals of the premier class, and he is still chasing the cup with Man City.
The pressure from Bayern didn’t decrease at the beginning of the second half either. What was missing were the sparking ideas and the accuracy of the shots, such as Coman’s shot (55th). Man City, however, lurked on the counterattack. At the first attempt, Haaland failed due to Bayern keeper Yann Sommer (55th), shortly afterwards he did better. In the final phase, Tuchel brought further offensive potential with Müller and Mathys Tel. However, the goal only fell after a hand penalty, which was just as controversial as in the first half.
FC Bayern fans have meanwhile clearly criticized the club’s leadership in the quarter-finals. “Goals may be missed – not values of the club! Question leadership policy!” read a large poster shortly before the end of the game. The resentment was apparently directed at sports director Hasan Salihamidzic and CEO Oliver Kahn, who did not achieve the hoped-for trend reversal with the change of coach from Julian Nagelsmann to Thomas Tuchel.
