Lewandowski’s goal is not enough
FC Bayern was bitterly eliminated: in the rush to the semi-finals of the Champions League, FC Villarreal shocked the German record champions with a late conceded goal to make it 1-1 (0-0) and inflicted a painful knockout on coach Julian Nagelsmann’s ensemble. A week after the 0: 1 in Spain, world footballer Robert Lewandowski (52nd minute) put the vastly superior Munich team on Tuesday evening in front of 70,000 fans on course for victory, until substitute Samuel Chukwueze (88th) for the previously largely harmless Europa League winner yet struck.
After the crashing out of the DFB Cup in October due to the 0:5 at Borussia Mönchengladbach and now the premature end of all “premier class” hopes, winning the German championship has the highest priority.
In the first leg, the whole team played poorly. On the other hand, the Munich offensive controlled the initial phase of the second leg, alongside Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman were supposed to provide danger and goals. Once again, however, Villarreal was the uncomfortable, stubborn opponent, who also relied on time wasting from the start with even short interruptions.
Sané’s sharp cross was the first goal approach of the clearly superior German record champions (11th). Bayern put the Spanish Europa League winners under pressure early in the half. Coman on the left and Sané on the right were able to put themselves in the limelight several times. In the penalty area, however, the balls did not initially reach Lewandowski and Müller.
“If you don’t dare, you don’t win,” said Nagelsmann, who had to do without national player Niklas Süle in defense because he was ill. Bayern got stuck in the opposing penalty area. There was repeated applause from the stands. Musiala tested Villarreal goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli with a header after a cross from Leon Goretzka (29) – but it was the only major chance of the first half.
Villarreal retreated far. Before the only shot in the direction of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Arnaut Danjuma was offside (41′). In defense, the seventh-placed in the Spanish LaLiga continued to hold up well, the two central defenders Pau Torres and Raúl Albiol initially had the Munich team under control.
Musiala tested Rulli again just seconds after the restart (46′). Bayern kept pushing for the goal – and were rewarded by Lewandowski after a strong effort from Coman. The world footballer was served on the edge of the penalty area and skilfully completed the right foot in the lower right corner.
The game was open again and Bayern created more chances to score. Too often, however, the precision was lacking – as with Müller’s header in the 71st minute, which went wide of the goal. That should take revenge – Bayern did not recover from the late goal.
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