Champions, Salzburg-Bayern Munich 1-1: goals from Adamu and Coman

Youth and talent, with a hint of inexperience. Salzburg surprises Europe, and for a while also Bayern. In the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, the Austrians stop Bayern at 1-1: they decide Aramu’s goals on 21 ‘and Coman’s on 90’. Salzburg’s performance, however, goes far beyond the result. Despite the very low average age (23 years and 242 days, the lowest in the knockout stage of the competition since Ajax in 2003 challenged Milan with a team with 22 years and 205 days on average), the Austrians have played with great personality, deciding the pace of the game. Bayern also struggled with dribbling. And on more than one occasion they risked getting 2-0.

THE MATCH

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Nagelsmann chooses the 3-2-4-1, uncovering the defense a little but inserting all the players of the highest quality (Lewandowski, Müller, Gnabry, Coman and Sanè from the first minute. exalts himself with Adeyemi, truly impregnable, very good at exploiting the spaces. Bayern creates the first opportunity, with Gnabry forcing Köhn to a great save. The goal arrives on 21 ‘, but it is from Salzburg: Adeyemi leads the counterattack, Aaronson controls badly but thus triggers Adamu (entered for the injured Okafor) who electrifies Ulreich. Salzburg continues to grind the game and almost double the first at 26 ‘(good Ulreich on Aaronson’s close shot), then at 44’ with Adeyemi (Ulreich He is well placed.) Bayern are rarely seen, with Sanè kicking out of a good position (on 31 ‘) and Coman not able to give strength to the ball with his head.

THE SHOOT

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In the second half the plot of the game changed completely: Bayern dictated the pace, crushing Salzburg in their own half. However, the Bavarians do not create many clear opportunities. The most active of Bayern is Coman, who on the left is a real thorn in the side for Salzburg: in the 74th minute it is the Frenchman to go on his own and force Köhn to save for a corner. The 23-year-old goalkeeper is also exceptional in the 76th minute to save on Sanè, before anticipating Gnabry who was ready to put the ball in the door left unguarded from two steps away. Bayern, however, is unbalanced and gives Salzburg the greatest chance of recovery: the usual Adeyemi starts on the counterattack and puts Ulreich in serious difficulty (great foot save), on the rebound comes Adamu who, from a central position, with Ulreich on the ground, beats with a sure shot, finding however the opposition of Pavard who saves on the line. The mistake is too much and Salzburg pays the consequences: in the 90th minute it is Pavard who puts the ball in the middle where Müller, head, serves Coman, very quick to beat the opposing goalkeeper. It ends 1-1. Bayern thus remains unbeaten for the 22nd away match in the Champions League in a row (17 wins and 5 draws). But in Salzburg he was about to be surprised. And with the abolition of away goals in the second leg, to qualify, he will have to win at home.