FC Bayern invokes the resurrection of the feared “Bestia Negra”. Kane and Sané inspire confidence on the way to Wembley. But the defense is a concern. One personality remains exciting.
With sparkling eyes, Thomas Tuchels fearlessly looked forward to FC Bayern’s ultimate premier class showdown on the way to the Wembley final. “The starting position is very clear. We’re going to Madrid – and the winner takes it all,” said Tuchel about the football blockbuster in the famous Bernabéu Stadium in a week’s time.
“It’s definitely one of the most difficult places to win. But that’s the challenge, that’s the beauty of it,” said the Munich coach. He wants to go on to Wembley. On the way to the final on June 1st, the Munich team not only want to overcome the XXL test as the last hurdle after the 2:2 (0:1) in the semi-final first leg.
By then, Bayern want to have clarity as to who will tackle the restructuring in the new season as Tuchel’s successor. Sports director Eberl does not expect a decision on the exciting question of whether Ralf Rangnick will be the new man on the sidelines until the second leg in Madrid next Wednesday.
“Good conversations” with Rangnick
President Herbert Hainer reported “good discussions” on Wednesday night. “We’ll have to see when we give the final go-ahead,” he said on the Sky microphone. Austria’s national coach Rangnick is said to have signaled a general willingness to come to Munich in the summer. According to Eberl, the people of Munich have not yet had any contact with the association.
All the future discussions ignore the stars – Tuchel anyway. The outgoing coach Tuchel was able to record a great comeback and a late penalty shock after the 2:2 (0:1) with Bayern goals from Leroy Sané and Harry Kane, the certainty that his stars can also compete with Madrid’s handle pot. can accommodate heroes. “We have 90 minutes, 120 minutes, maybe a penalty shootout. The goal is clear, we have to win,” said Tuchel
Real remains a phenomenon
On the other hand, Real’s record winners once again demonstrated their unparalleled art: Toni Kroos and his royal team are almost invincible. “We are not the first team this has happened to,” groaned Tuchel. “Madrid never dies,” wrote “El País” aptly. “Manchester City is sitting at home, RB Leipzig is sitting at home and says: How can it be that we are eliminated?” Eberl said of the Real phenomenon: “It doesn’t feel like that for us yet because we still have the second leg have.”
The premier class course rally in the semi-final first leg, in which the eloquent club patron Uli Hoeneß sometimes cheered exuberantly in his place of honor and sometimes visibly argued, ultimately brought a smile to the faces of the guests around the outstanding strategist Kroos. “I wouldn’t have liked the result at half-time, but of course I would have liked it at the end,” rejoiced the German international, who proved to be a game-changer in the eyes of national coach Julian Nagelsmann after Bayern’s powerful start.
Harsh criticism of Kim
Vinicius Junior made it 1-0 after Kroos’ “pass through the heart”, which national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer complained about. With the late equalizer from the penalty spot, Vinicius once again documented the royal indomitability. Both times, Madrid exposed Minjae Kim’s glaring weaknesses. The Munich defensive “monster”, who was signed in the summer for around 50 million euros, was misled in the 0-1 defeat. And when the score was 2-2, the South Korean took a penalty. “He was too greedy twice,” said Tuchel, criticizing the evening’s loser. “He wants too much in the actions and we are being punished by Real’s quality.”
On the way into the summer night in Munich, Tuchel, flanked by his entourage, had to think about how he wanted to achieve more defensive stability in the second leg in the converted football temple Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Will the injured Matthijs de Ligt be fit in time? Otherwise, does Tuchel dare to take a risk with the Frenchman Dayot Upamecano, who has repeatedly made a blatant mistake in the quarter-final exit against Manchester City, including last year? “Everything is open, the winner takes the cake,” said Joshua Kimmich.
The away goals rule no longer applies
The people of Munich feel ready for the resurrection of the “Bestia Negra”, that is, the “black beast” that they were feared as in Spain for years. Since Munich’s last semi-final triumph on penalties in 2012, their reputation has suffered greatly. Real recently triumphed three times in the premier class record game: in the semi-finals in 2014, quarter-finals in 2017 and semi-finals in 2018. “I don’t think much of myths,” said Thomas Müller after his 150th Champions League appearance. “There is no tactic based on the result. The winner takes it.” It is helpful that the away goals rule no longer applies.
As in the quarter-finals against Arsenal FC, the last hurdle before the final after a 2-2 draw in the first leg a week later is the “death or gladiolus” match. The difference this time is that the second leg will take place away.
Friend hopes for Sané series
“We are ready for a great game,” said Kane after his eighth goal of the season in the Champions League to make it 2-1 with a penalty. For Sané, who moved in from the right wing in the style of 2013 final hero Arjen Robben and brought Bayern back into the game at 1-1, the goal drought ended after six months. “Now he can start a series again,” said sports director Christoph Freund. However, the injured Sané, as well as Jamal Musiala and Konrad Laimer, have to get the permanent pain in their pubic bone under control. They are a symbol of Munich’s ability to suffer, which will be even more necessary in the second leg.
Bayern boss: Then we are happy
According to CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, it is irrelevant whether an agreement with Rangnick would be better before or after the second leg against the Spaniards. “After so much talk in the last two or three weeks, it no longer matters,” said Dreesen. He emphasized again that the separation from Tuchel will be carried out as agreed even if we win at Wembley: “When we’re ready, we’ll hopefully also worry about winning. Then we’ll be happy together and go our separate ways.”