In the quarter-final first leg in London, FC Bayern Munich shows a different face than in the Bundesliga. The fact that we only managed a draw against Arsenal London is also due to one of the strangest scenes of the Champions League season.
Patrick Strasser
There was a lot of pathos when Bavaria’s CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen began his banquet speech in the Grand Ballroom of the noble hotel “The Landmark” not far from the royal Regent’s Park. While coach Thomas Tuchel and most of the players didn’t quite understand the 2-2 draw in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League at Arsenal, the boss expressed optimism and courage.
After the recent defeats, he opened his speech with “Those who were said to be dead live longer! That is the true face of FC Bayern.” After all, the Munich team had “difficult weeks in their bones” but showed “a fantastic game” in London. Dreesen shouted to the team: “You can be really proud of yourselves, that was a more than deserved 2-2 – congratulations! We want to see that from you, dear team, much, much more often. Then everyone in Europe has to be prepared “We should be careful. Of course the dream lives on today.” A portion of superstition and belief in reaching the semi-finals (and perhaps even more) should pave the way to the final on June 1st, also in London, at Wembley Stadium. There, Bayern won the Bundesliga duel for the handle pot 2-1 against Borussia Dortmund in 2013. And stayed at “The Landmark” that weekend. “It should inspire you, dear team, to revive this spirit again,” emphasized Dreesen.
You can still dream. Finally, the winners of defending champions Manchester City and Real Madrid await in the semi-finals, who drew a spectacular 3-3 in the first leg in Spain. And the score is still 2-2 between Bayern and Arsenal, half time so to speak before the second leg next Wednesday in Munich.
Just in time, when the Champions League anthem sounded, the Munich team shed their Bundesliga face (2:3 at newly promoted Heidenheim, 16 points behind soon-to-be champions Bayer Leverkusen) and showed their premier class face. A day of celebration, not a boring everyday life. In the 2-2 draw against the North Londoners with DFB international Kai Havertz, ex-Gunner Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane, who worked for Arsenal rivals Tottenham Hotspur until last summer, scored the goals. At Bayern’s favorite opponent, whom they had recently defeated 5-1 three times in a row and had the upper hand in all four knockout round duels since 2005. This time they were even happy to be in the underdog role against the Premier League leaders, mostly leaving the ball to the hosts and acting with significantly more effort and passion than in the 2-3 disgrace in Heidenheim three days ago.
“At this level it goes back and forth, we can quarrel and look at it with sadness, but we can also be happy. I’m completely satisfied,” said Thomas Müller, who had to watch the entire game from the bench or while warming up on the sidelines. Arsenal were better in the first half, with Bayern leading 2-1 at the break. The second half presented the opposite picture. Müller’s conclusion: “We were lucky and unlucky at the same time. Kingsley Coman almost makes it 3-2 in the end, the ball hits the post. Just football.”
Bayern criticize referee performance: “New form of rule interpretation”
Just one of many scenes that could have tipped the game in one direction. There was the possible red card for Bayern center forward Harry Kane after an elbow check on Gabriel (55th). Kane only saw yellow. And on the other hand, the strangest scene of the game in the 67th minute: Arsenal keeper David Raya hesitated when taking a goal kick. After referee Glenn Nyberg’s whistle, Raya passed to defender Gabriel, who picked up the ball in his own six-yard box and took the goal kick again. Bayern immediately complained and the referee allowed the game to continue.
For Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, who described the referee’s performance as “below average”, “a 100%, crystal clear hand penalty that we didn’t get. That hurts extremely at this level. A crazy situation, but a huge mistake.” At the microphone on “Prime Video”, Tuchel described the seconds afterwards: “The referee says to our players: ‘Yes, but it’s a kid’s mistake, I won’t whistle that in the Champions League -Quarterfinals. This is a completely new way of interpreting the rules, it’s simply unbelievable.”
While for Kane it was “the clearest penalty I’ve ever seen”, Müller also couldn’t contain his surprise at the interpretation of the situation. “The referee saw it clearly, for him the mistake was just too stupid, too petty to give a penalty. I understand it in the spirit of the game, but the referee is there to implement the rule.” Therefore, the 34-year-old veteran said: “I don’t think he can ignore the laws. That could be decisive for the game, we actually can’t put up with that.” According to the rules, referees do not have to whistle for a goal kick; the whistle may have irritated the goalkeeper and defender.
In contrast to the angry Bavarians, Matthias Sammer, working as an expert for “Prime”, argued. The ex-national player explained the controversial scene: “This is a situation that is debatable in terms of rules. But in the sense of football, where nothing happens and at this level, I don’t give that. I always have German glasses on and always sit down “There’s no question about it. But in this situation I’m rather happy that there wasn’t a penalty.” Or as Müller said: football.
The dreary everyday life of the Bundesliga as a distraction for FC Bayern Munich
On Saturday, Bayern face another unpleasant game when relegation-threatened 1. FC Köln comes to the Allianz Arena. An unpopular sandwich game before the second leg on Wednesday against Arsenal, which will decide whether the season, which has been completely messed up at national level, can still be given some glitz and glamor by reaching the semi-finals. “We showed a very mature performance,” said sports director Max Eberl, who was looking forward “to the second leg with our spectators in the Allianz Arena behind us.” “Then we want to finish what we started here.”
Coach Tuchel, who was again heavily criticized after the two defeats against Dortmund (0-2) and in Heidenheim and seemed ailing, sent a sign of life together with the team. Before the second leg he said: “The starting position is clear, the winner advances. We need the same atmosphere from the spectators in Munich as here at Arsenal, the same dedication from the team. Passion and quality, then we will advance.”
On the rocky road to the final. “We have taken a small step,” said Kane, “the dream of Wembley is still there.” Board boss Dreesen put it more euphorically and pathetically, shouting to the VIPs, sponsors and the team at the banquet: “In the second leg, it’s important to show with heart and passion who FC Bayern is. You can do it! Together we can do it!”