FC Bayern
Bayern battle for Champions League quarterfinal spot
Things were looking bleak at halftime: Juventus Turin had a 2-0 lead against Bayern at the Allianz Arena in Munich, a result that would have seen them eliminate Bayern from the tournament. Fans in Turin were already picturing their team’s next round opponents before the final whistle was blown. But fans in Munich knew better than to give up on Pep Guardiola’s team.
Bayern fought hard in the second half and eventually broke through in the 73rd minute, with Robert Lewandowski finding the back of the net to cut the guests’ lead in half. But it was Thomas Müller’s goal in the first minute of stoppage time that kept Bayern’s hope alive.
DHL hit the road with FCB for the first-leg match in Turin.
The 2-2 score at the end of regulation meant the two teams were forced into extra time; the first leg match in Turin had also ended in a 2-2 draw. With the momentum on their side, Bayern persevered and tacked on two more goals from Thiago and Kingsley Coman. The final score of 4-2 was more than enough to punch Bayern’s ticket to the next round of the Champions League.
“We were up against last year's finalists,” said Guardiola. “If you're two down against an Italian team and score four it's just outstanding. A huge compliment to my team.”
As captain Philipp Lahm stated after the match, much of the credit went to the FC Bayern fans, who never gave up hope when the team was mere minutes away from elimination.
“First of all, all credit to the crowd,” Lahm said. “It was an incredible atmosphere. The fans spurred us on.”
Check out what Lahm has to say about the team’s fans in China!
The emotional match was mentally and physically demanding on FC Bayern, but they still had enough gas left in the tank to defeat FC Cologne 1-0 over the weekend in the Bundesliga, sending the defending German champions into the international break with a five-point lead over Borussia Dortmund.
The break will give some of Pep’s squad a chance to recharge their batteries, but some of Bayern’s best will be on duty for their respective national teams.
Decisive matches ahead
After the break, the season enters the final stages, and Bayern are still gunning for titles in the Bundesliga, German Cup, and Champions League competitions.
Their next opponent in the Champions League will be Portuguese side Benfica. The first leg of the quarter final is April 5 in Munich, with the second leg a week later on April 13.
In the German Cup, Bayern host Werder Bremen in the semifinals on April 19.
The next of Bayern’s seven remaining Bundesliga matches is at home against Eintracht Frankfurt on April 2.
Can Bayern earn a ‘treble,’ winning all three competitions in Pep Guardiola’s last season as the team’s coach? Stay tuned to DHL InMotion to find out!
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