Munich (AP) – It was not only Robert Lewandowski’s historic turbo triple pack in the Champions League that made Julian Nagelsmann shine. The FC Bayern coach was extremely satisfied with the overall performance of his football aces in the impressive 7-1 (4-0) win over Austria’s champions Red Bull Salzburg.
“It was a very, very good game,” said the Bayern coach after the run into the quarter-finals. He saw his team’s determination as almost an obligation for the next major challenges: “You saw that if you have this greed and energy, then it’s hard to stop us.”
Neuer: “It was a statement”
The Tore Festival was a clear announcement – also to international competitors like Liverpool FC. “It was a statement and an exclamation mark,” said national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on Amazon Prime Video. Only four weeks after an operation on his right knee, the captain was back between the posts and exuded his usual sovereignty. “We are very satisfied with the performance,” said Neuer. “We didn’t allow too many counterattacks and we were solid. That gives hope that it will continue like this.”
The quarter-finals will be drawn on March 18th. For the Munich team, it should go as far as the final on May 28th in Paris in Europe’s premier class. “The importance was enormous,” said double goalscorer Thomas Müller after the convincing round of 16 second leg in the home arena. “If we leave here, we have a very sad three months ahead of us.” An end would also have meant that “one or the other stone would have been turned from the outside and from the inside,” noted the 32-year-old Müller.
Now that is not necessary. Also because the German record champion acted with determination. “We were bilious,” Müller stated with satisfaction. And three weeks after the meager 1-1 draw in Salzburg, Bayern’s playful ease was back.
Lewandowski: Hat trick after 23 minutes
Of course, Lewandowski played a huge part in that. The Polish national striker had eleven splendid minutes in the first half to open the door to the quarter-finals with two converted penalties (12th/21st minute) and goal number twelve of the season in the premier class (23rd). “He’s a world-class striker,” stated Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle. “He played very well overall, also for the team,” Nagelsmann praised his world footballer.
Lewandowski now has 42 competitive goals in 35 games on his season tally. In the Champions League, the attacker even increased his score to 85 goals with his hat trick after 23 minutes – the fastest in the premier class. There should be a few more this season until the long-awaited entry into the final.