last minute goal
Kingsley Coman just saved FC Bayern from a nasty belly landing at cheeky challenger RB Salzburg. The final scorer of 2020 scored the goal to make it 1-1 (0-1) at the Austrian champions in the 90th minute and thus averted Munich’s first defeat in the “premier class” at the start of the knockout phase – last Saturday there was a bankruptcy at 2: 4 in Bochum. After the flawless group phase with six wins and 22:3 goals, the Munich team presented themselves on Wednesday evening in the packed Red Bull Arena against the Austrian round of 16 debutants not yet ready for the title.
Striker Junior Adamu, who came on as a substitute early on, got the vociferous Salzburg fans into a happy mood with his goal on assist by the very dynamic German international Karim Adeyemi. Bayern ran on after the break, but almost conceded the 2-0 lead when Adeyemi and Adamu had a double chance (81′). Then the Coman, who blossomed after the break, struck.
Bayern prevented the first away defeat in four and a half years in the “premier class” – the second leg is on March 8th in the Allianz Arena. 29,520 spectators in the sold-out Red Bull Arena created a tingling atmosphere and gave a foretaste of the possibility that stadiums in Germany will soon be full again. And Salzburg, with their carefree power and dynamism, made sure that it didn’t get any quieter as the game progressed.
Round of 16: The Champions League squad according to market values
16 RB Salzburg – Squad value: €204m
© imago images
Status: February 15, 2022 (rounded values)
15 LOSC Lille – squad value: €239m
© imago images
14 Sporting – squad value: €252m
© imago images
13 Benfica – squad value: €271m
© imago images
12 Ajax Amsterdam – squad value: €364m
© imago images
11 Villarreal FC – Squad value: €367m
© imago images
10 Inter Milan – squad value: €551m
© imago images
9 Juventus – squad value: €566m
© imago images
8 Atlético Madrid – squad value: €647m
© imago images
7 Real Madrid – Squad value: €780m
© imago images
6 Manchester United – Squad Value: €790m
© imago images
5 FC Bayern – squad value: €816m
© imago images
4 Chelsea FC – Squad value: €883m
© imago images
3 Liverpool FC – Squad value: €889m
© imago images
2 Paris Saint-Germain – Squad value: €910m
© imago images
1 Manchester City – Squad value: €991m
© imago images
The Austrian champions should serve Munich as compensation for the disgrace of Bochum, which Nagelsmann says has been worked up. But the defensive vulnerability was not eliminated within four days. The switch from a back four to a back three with the removal of Dayot Upamecano, who was completely indisposed in Bochum, did not change that. Time and again, carefree Salzburg uncovered the deficiencies of the Munich defense with their fast-paced football.
The young German national player Adeyemi played a leading role, tearing up holes with his speed, which should have pleased national coach Hansi Flick in the stands. Already in the third minute, Adeyemi caused danger for the first time after a blunder by Niklas Süle – both of them could be teammates at Borussia Dortmund next season.
It was also Adeyemi who gave Salzburg the lead with a great counterattack when he put forward colleague Adamu through Brenden Aaronson. The Austria U21 international, who only came on due to Noah Okafor’s early injury, didn’t give Sven Ulreich a chance. In any case, it was not the fault of the representative of the injured Manuel Neuer. On the contrary, Ulreich saved a second goal from Aaronson’s shot before the break (24′).
At that point at the latest, the people of Munich should have realized that Salzburg might not be the easier opponent compared to the Spanish champions Atlético Madrid, who were originally drawn to Bayern in the draw in December. The performance of the German record champions was not as confident as it should be in a knockout game in the “premier class”.
Of course, Bayern also had their chances. In the first round, especially in the person of Serge Gnabry, who once forced Philipp Köhn to make a save (10th) and was blocked twice with a double chance (40th). Leroy Sané also put the ball just wide of the goal (30′). Nagelsmann was not satisfied with that. Visibly annoyed, the young coach scolded Bayern Bank.
It couldn’t go on like this in the second round. And Munich increased the pressure, pushed the tired Salzburg back to their own penalty area, although the determination and consistency were often lacking. And it got tricky, Salzburg still had Köhn, who made great saves against Coman (73rd), Sané and Gnabry (76th each). Bayern now risked a lot and were lucky not to concede the second goal on a counterattack. Ulreich saved an Adeyemi shot before Benjamin Pavard cleared an Adamu shot on the line (81′).
Torfabrik, flood of cards & more: Statistics on the Champions League 2021/22
Goals in the group stage…
© imago images
In the 96 games so far, more goals have been scored than has rarely been the case in the Champions League up to this point. An average of 3.09 goals per game is the third best value after 2019/20 and 2017/18. To the statistics
© imago images
The last time that many red and yellow cards were shown in a Champions League group stage was in 2018/19. Overall, more than the current value of 4.23 cards per game in just four seasons.
Porto collected the most card points…
© imago images
17 yellow and 3 red cards are top values, although LOSC Lille had the most warnings in the group stage with 23. The Shakhtar Donetsk players saw the fewest cards: only 5 yellow cards.
Torfabrik in the group stage…
© imago images
… was FC Bayern. With 22 goals, the Munich team scored the most goals of all teams before the round of 16. Ajax (20) followed in second place ahead of Man City (18), Liverpool (17) and RB Leipzig (15) as the top scoring team of the first round that is no longer in the knockout phase.
Top scorer already so good…
© imago images
… like last year’s top scorer. Sébastien Haller scored 10 goals in 6 games for Ajax Amsterdam in the group stage. As many as Erling Haaland recorded as the top snapper 2020/21 at the end of the tournament. To the top scorers list by season
© imago images
remains in the tournament as the only German team that reached the round of 16. That happened to the Bundesliga representatives in the premier class for the last time in 2018/19 and before that in 2008/09. A year earlier, FC Bayern were missing in the round of 16 and Schalke 04 were the only German representatives. Statistics: CL performance by country
© imago images
Despite the fact that only one German team remains in the Champions League tournament, the German teams did not perform worst in the top league comparison. Serie A also sent four teams, two of which progressed, but overall they collected fewer victories than Wolfsburg, Leipzig, BVB and Bayern. It is 12 to 10 between Germany and Italy. The Bundesliga clubs are third in the ranking behind the Premier League and LaLiga clubs. For the nation ranking
© imago images
… FC Bayern (€816m) is only fifth in the round of 16. The most valuable team among the remaining teams is Man City (€991m). RB Salzburg has the lowest squad value in the upcoming knockout round (€204m). All squad values to click through
The greatest Champions League experience…
© imago images
… the team from Real Madrid has in the remaining field of participants. All players together come to 1239 missions in the premier class. Striker Karim Benzema alone has already recorded 135 games, Toni Kroos 120. Statistics for the most experienced teams and players
The Round of 16 game PSG vs Real Madrid…
© imago images
… is the most valuable match of the first knockout round. A squad value of €910m (Paris) meets €780m (Real). The most valuable game still possible of the entire tournament came in the group stage, when PSG faced Man City (€991m). Both teams won their respective home games.
As the goalkeeper with the best clean sheet…
© imago images
… Edouard Mendy goes into the knockout phase. In the group stage he kept his box clean in 80 percent of the games. Bayern’s Manuel Neuer follows alongside Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) and Odysseas Vlachodimos (Benfica) with 66.7 percent in a shared second place. To the statistics
© imago images
In the ranking of the best preparers, a duel between Kylian Mbappé (PSG) and Bruno Fernandes (Man United) continues in the Champions League round of 16. Both have so far reached their maximum of 6 assists.
© imago images
… could at least in theory march to the final with Manchester United and make it clear that he has played in the final for the seventh time in the Champions League. In the premier class with previous competitions, that would be the third highest value in history. Ronaldo won 83.3 percent of his finals (5 out of 6), once with United and four times with Real Madrid. The Portuguese has long been at the top of the ranking of historic record players, both in terms of appearances (181) and goals (140).
To home page