FC Bayern reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a convincing 3-0 (2-0) in the second leg against Lazio Rome. According to Dietmar Hamann, one Munich player particularly stood out: Aleksandar Pavlovic.
Aleksandar Pavlovic from FC Bayern also made a lasting impression in his first starting eleven in the Champions League. Munich’s homegrown team pulled the strings in the central midfield and demonstrated impressive calm and serenity.
The 19-year-old also repeatedly managed to play the ball vertically to the top. This is how the winning goal came from Harry Kane (66th), who ultimately only had to push in a rebound after a great combination via Aleksandar Pavlovic, Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané.
Pavlovic at FC Bayern: “We can be happy that he’s there”
After the game, TV expert Dietmar Hamann also couldn’t help but expressly praise the young midfielder’s performance. “Pavlovic came into the game for the first time in a big game against BVB 30 minutes before the end and played it like an old hand,” he recalled to “Sky”: “Like he did today in his first CL game “The way we played from the start was sensational.”
At the same time, the ex-national player emphasized that Pavlovic is one of the biggest beneficiaries of FC Bayern’s disappointing season so far: “In another phase or another season he might not have played at all, so we can be happy that he is there.” Most recently he was placed in central midfield alongside Leon Goretzka, while Joshua Kimmich played on the right side of defense due to injuries to Noussair Mazraoui and Sacha Boey.
Pavlovic, born in Munich and trained at the Bayern campus, made his first Bundesliga game in the 8-0 win in the first half of the season against Darmstadt. In the following 4-0 win in the top game against BVB, he was already convincing after coming on as a substitute. He has now made eight starting eleven appearances in the German upper house and the youngster has already scored two goals.