FC Bayern ends a negative series in Glasgow after over a year. Nevertheless, the team wakes bad memories. Can that go well?
Julian Buhl reports from Glasgow
The beats echoed a little tinny from the boxes. They filled the ballroom of the Radisson Blu Hotel, which was illuminated in red, in Glasgow, where FC Bayern moved into its neighborhood. But the spark didn’t really want to skip the guests invited to the Champions League banket.
Little could be felt from a exuberant party atmosphere in the Munich team hotel. After the 2-1 success in the first leg of the playoffs around the move into the round of 16 of the premier class, the atmosphere in the hall seemed rather subdued instead of euphoric. At loin steak with whiskey pepper sauce and fried salmon in shallot herb cream, those present fell more soberly with white, rose and red wine.
Bayern, as the Glasgower Celtic Park, have been called the “Paradise” as the first team for over a year. The crucial step towards K.-O. Runde is still to be taken next Tuesday at the second leg in Munich.
Board boss Jan-Christian Dreesen also emphasized that it was not a matter of course that Bayern passed in this football fortress. “It was certainly not an easy game today, especially the last 20 minutes you made it exciting again,” said Dreesen, addressing his words directly to the fully present team. Nevertheless, it is “a special day”.
Why? Because Bavaria has ended a negative series that has been going on for over a year. “If you disregard the away game against Donetsk, this is the first away win since 12/12/2023,” Dreesen explained, reminiscent of the 1-0 win at Manchester United in the group phase of last season. He only referred to the games in the Champions League.
The game against Donetsk had to be played in Ukraine in Gelsenkirchen due to the Russian attack war. The Munich team had lost all three other real away games in this Champions League season: 0: 1 at Aston Villa, 1: 4 at FC Barcelona and 0: 3 at Feyenoord Rotterdam.
The fact that Bayern now existed in the mood -charged Celtic Park was anything but a matter of course. However, some of them also strangled on the foreign terrain in Glasgow. For a long time, Bayern struggled to play goal opportunities against the deep -standing and well -organized hosts organized in the defense.
Top strikers Harry Kane in particular initially missed the few good opportunities in a good position. The fact that Bavaria took the lead in the last minute of the first half was primarily due to the individual class of Michael Olise and his dream goal. Shortly after the change of sides, Kane then artistically made the preliminary decision with the left (49th). With this double strike, Bayern at least temporarily silenced Celtic Park and the almost 60,000 hot -blooded Scottish fans.
Nevertheless, the German record champion was under trouble after the 1-2 connection goal (79th). At a time when the opponent that had previously been clearly inferior seemed to be beaten. Suddenly, for example, evil memories were woken up against the wild final phase in the Bundesliga against promoted Kiel, who had come to 4: 3 after a 4-0 lead.
Sports board member Max Eberl also had to determine after the 2-1 win: “We led 2-0. And then we unnecessarily bring ourselves back into the situation of having to tremble in the end.”