After reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since last winning the title in 2020, FC Bayern immediately announced the final at Wembley as their next goal. And the German record champions’ dream final on June 1st in London would of course be a German one against Borussia Dortmund – like when they won the title in 2013 at the same place.
“It starts in two weeks. There is a huge incentive there. We will do everything we can to end the season at Wembley,” announced Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel after the 1-0 win in the quarter-final second leg against Arsenal on Wednesday evening. “If I liked it, I would take it,” said goalscorer Joshua Kimmich about a possible new Wembley final duel with Dortmund. On April 30th there will be a semi-final in Munich and on May 8th in Spain’s capital against record winners Real Madrid.
Bayern’s sports director Max Eberl spoke “drunk with joy” of a great moment for German football and the Bundesliga, which is often overshadowed by the English Premier League. “There is no Englishman in the semi-finals, there are two Bundesliga teams in it. This is great for the Bundesliga, an exclamation mark that we have set. Now we both want even more,” said Eberl, also referring to BVB.
A new match against Dortmund at Wembley, where Bayern triumphed 2-1 in 2013 thanks to a late goal from Arjen Robben, would be sensational, “if you start dreaming,” said Bayern boss Jan-Christian Dreesen. BVB will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals on May 1st and 7th. “Today we are celebrating that we have made it to the Champions League semi-finals and there is still a lot possible,” said Eberl.
Meanwhile, Kimmich’s header against Arsenal FC gave Bayern another big payday in the Champions League. The European Football Union (Uefa) is honoring the semi-finals with a bonus of 12.5 million euros. Winning the title on June 1st at London’s Wembley Stadium would even be rewarded with 20 million euros. The losing finalist can console themselves financially with 15.5 million euros.
FC Bayern’s Champions League bonuses in the current season have now increased to a total of 97.52 million euros. In addition, there is the spectator income from now six home games as well as the money from the market pool, which should total more than 30 million euros. The Champions League income of the Bundesliga Croesus in this game again amounts to well over 100 million euros. The international commentators also honored the Munich team’s success.
England
„The Guardian“: “It was an evening where Bayern Munich lived up to their claims of being of a completely different caliber in the Champions League. Perhaps the obituaries for an ailing superpower (…) were written too quickly.”
„The Sun“: “Thomas Tuchel’s brilliant change to Bayern’s starting XI eliminated Arsenal’s attack and took Bukayo Saka out of the game. Arsenal were barely able to stand up to Bayern throughout the second leg and their talisman Saka was very reserved throughout. His statistics are sobering, as he couldn’t make a shot, create a single chance, complete a single dribble or hit a single precise cross. Tuchel wanted to prevent Saka from being the driving force at Arsenal. And the 50-year-old trainer put this idea into practice. He had the idea of using Noussair Mazraoui and Raphael Guerreiro as a double leader against the dangerous man. The plan couldn’t have worked out better.”
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„Daily Mail“: “Bayern, who had to give up the Bundesliga crown to Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend after eleven titles in a row, have retained their hope of winning the big title by reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League alongside their German colleagues Borussia Dortmund.”
Spain
“Brand”: “Kimmich’s header takes Bayern Munich past Arsenal and into the semi-finals of the Champions League. The midfielder scored the only goal of the evening to the delight of the home fans.”
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“The world”: “Bayern don’t give Arsenal any peace and sneak into the semi-finals again. A goal from Kimmich qualifies Tuchel’s team against a rival who was hardly able to create dangerous chances.”
France
“The Parisian”: “So there will be two German clubs in the semi-finals of the Champions League. (…) In the final stages of the game, Arsenal could no longer show their teeth and were pinned down by the Bavarian defense and an impeccable Laimer-Goretzka pairing that silenced Bukayo Saka, the goalscorer of the first leg. Amid the chants of a fiery Allianz Arena, the Germans continued to hold on to the ball and were even able to show some nice moves, helped by a Raphaël Guerreiro in very good form on the left.”
Austria
“Kronen Zeitung”: “After missing the championship and being eliminated from the cup, Thomas Tuchel’s team can at least continue to dream of the title in the premier class.”
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“Delivery man”: “What hasn’t been pouring scorn and ridicule on FC Bayern Munich in the last few months: In the league, the record champions found their master in Bayer Leverkusen; In the DFB Cup there was an early and embarrassing exit against third division team Saarbrücken, as well as the extremely expensive misunderstanding by coach Thomas Tuchel. Now a completely messed up season can still have a happy ending.”
Press reviews of Bayern Munich’s semi-final opponents
Manchester City is eliminated from the giants’ duel against Real Madrid after a penalty shootout. Rodrygo (12′) had given Real the lead, Kevin De Bruyne had given City the equalizer (76′). The German international Antonio Rüdiger scored the decisive shot for the Spaniards in the penalty shootout. The press was full of praise for another brilliant performance by the Madrilenians.
„Daily Mail“: “City’s penalty own goal. Have the City fans destroyed the Champions League dream? Pep Guardiola’s team were leading before the crowd withheld the ball and Bernardo Silva was thrown out of rhythm (…). In a game that was dubbed ‘Masters against the Kings’, nothing separated the two teams in two games and it ended in a penalty shootout in which Pep Guardiola’s side lost out.”
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„The Guardian“: “Real Madrid dethrone Manchester City after Rüdiger held his nerve in the penalty shootout. Antonio Rüdiger was booed throughout the game because Manchester City fans had not forgotten what he did to Kevin De Bruyne as a Chelsea player in the 2021 Champions League final. (…) And so it was narratively practically perfect when, at the end of a grueling penalty shootout, Rüdiger stepped forward to convert the penalty and make Madrid winners to set up a mouth-watering semi-final against Bayern leaves.”
„Independent“: “The champions have been dethroned by the kings. Manchester City’s reign only lasted a year.”
Spain
“Sports world”: “Rüdiger, from mistake to ecstasy at the Etihad. His great performance was marred by a mistake that made it 1-1, but in the penalty shootout he scored the decisive one.”
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„Sport“: “Maximum pity for City. Only City could withstand Madrid with such magnificence for so many minutes in the Champions League. (…) A mistake against Madrid is reckless in Europe. Even for City, a team that, with Guardiola’s obsessive sense of order, aims to minimize mistakes.”
“Brand”: “Madrid is crazy. There is no other possible explanation for what happened at the Etihad last night other than the mystique surrounding the King of Europe being able to withstand the constant hammering of the champion.”
„As“: “Unexpected heroes. On my knees looking at the sky, screaming, breathing. This is how (goalkeeper) Lunin ended the duel, which began with singing and ended with a concert.”
Switzerland
“Tagesanzeiger”: “A show of strength over two hours – then a defense attorney decides the crime”
„Blick“: “Knüller ends after a penalty shootout. Silva with embarrassing penalty – Real dethrones City”
France
“The Parisian”: “Real Madrid is immortal.”
„The Team“: “Guardiola’s bunker no longer exists. Six years unbeaten at home in the Champions League after a defeat against Olympique Lyon in 2018, Manchester City fell to Real Madrid. (…) Real’s defense was heroic.”
“South West”: “Real Madrid is unsinkable.”
