The semi-final first leg against Real Madrid was an evening of missed opportunities for FC Bayern. Coach Thomas Tuchel commented very openly about which player made the crucial mistakes.
By Patrick Strasser, Munich
It’s halftime between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the score is 2:2. Break. For eight nights. There are exactly 190 hours until the restart at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on Wednesday next week – counting from the final whistle on Tuesday evening in Munich. The longest half-time break in the world, that’s how the players and those in charge at Bayern and Real see it.
Lots of time to fret, to hope, to analyze. And there was little calculation like there would have been in the European Cup after a 2-2 draw in the first leg with the away goals rule, which was abolished by UEFA for the 2021/22 season. In the past, a 0-0 or 1-1 score would have been enough for Real to advance in the second leg in front of their own fans. Now the goals are simply added up. An advantage for the newly dethroned Bundesliga champions, who have their last chance to win the title this season on the biggest possible stage.
Tuchel: “Clear starting position”
“I like that we have a clear starting position,” said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, “we can completely forget about today’s result and start practically at 0-0. The goal is absolutely clear: we have to win at Real, even though it It’s certainly one of the most difficult places to win. It’s still called Fifty-Fifty. Anything can help us when it comes to our attitude. We have to be brave, full of self-confidence, focused and clear in our game – to make the most of our chances. We have 90, maybe 120 minutes to do it, or even a penalty shootout.” For the dream of reaching the final of the Henkelpott on June 1st at Wembley Stadium in London – eleven years after Bayern defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the historic Bundesliga duel.
For a long time on this warm pre-summer evening in Munich it felt as if the crucial question in this European classic, which was being held for the 27th time, was: Who fears whom? The story of the “Bestia Negra” in red jerseys, against which Real cannot win, who eats up the opponent – that was once upon a time. The legend emerged in the 70s and 80s and was continued in the 2000s. In fact, Real have progressed in the last three knockout round duels against Munich, most recently in the semi-finals in 2018.
“We want to go to Wembley and win there – that’s our goal,” Tuchel had made clear before the game. Despite all the noise like the “War of Munich” (according to the Spanish sports daily “Marca”) between club patron Uli Hoeneß and Tuchel. The honorary president refrained from publicly apologizing after his accusation that Tuchel preferred to demand new players instead of improving his own in the event of failures. The 72-year-old assured the “kicker” on Monday that he stood by it and announced that he was “determined to make my opinion clearer again.” The Attack Department is back. Tuchel, whose “coaching honor was seriously offended,” remained steadfast on Monday: “I won’t say anything more about it. The topic has been ticked off.” He believes.
Coach search at FC Bayern: “Hopefully it won’t take too long”
However, Tuchel can afford to focus on the Champions League, as his contract, shortened by one year, ends at the end of the season. While high above the town of Bad Wiessee, Hoeneß’ residence, on the Tegernsee and around the Tegernsee (Säbener Straße), you also have to look for a coach for the coming season and wait for the answer from 1C’s preferred candidate Ralf Rangnick. The Austrian national coach’s yes word seems very close, the Bayern bosses said they were in very good talks after the 2-2 draw against Real. “If Rangnick were to come, he would be a very good choice for us,” said President Herbert Hainer. “Hopefully it won’t be too long before we know which direction we’re going in.” Rangnick is still undecided, but the 65-year-old is said to have a tendency for the Bayern job. The Munich bosses are hoping for Rangnick’s commitment in order to complete the never-ending search for a coach – preferably before the second leg so as not to disrupt the concentration on the essentials.
After the draw on the pitch, both Bayern and Real believe they are in a better position and claim the better starting position for themselves. With hope, faith, courage – that’s how Bayern want to go into the second leg. In the first leg, the cleverness of making a lot out of a little clearly spoke for Real. “It’s always the same,” said Thomas Müller, “it’s just real. You know it, you have to be vigilant and careful every minute – and yet it happens.” Goals out of nowhere, in bad phases. Does this make the difference between the two teams? “We can’t play shy or afraid in Madrid, otherwise they’ll kill us,” said Jamal Musiala, “we have to keep our self-confidence high, we have to play like we do here at home, do a few little things better and push ourselves to win.”
And bite your teeth like Leroy Sané, who only plays in the Champions League due to his ongoing pubic bone problems and is rested in the Bundesliga. The winger hadn’t scored since October and had been going through dips in form and abysses of pain since the fall until relief came in the 53rd minute against Real. Finally in, finally lucky. An explosion of emotions after 25 competitive games and 185 days without a goal. When Harry Kane converted Musiala’s penalty to take the lead four minutes later, Bayern believed the semi-final pendulum could swing in their favor – at least in the first leg.
“Kim was too greedy twice”
But then central defender Min-jae Kim made a mistake for the second time that evening, only in the starting line-up due to Matthijs de Ligt’s medial ligament injury. Before Vinicius Junior made it 0-1 (24th), he cleared the way through a positional error, and in the 83rd minute he blocked Rodrygo’s path to the goal with a clumsy and unnecessary foul. “Kim was too greedy twice, that’s too easy,” said Tuchel angrily, “he has to go through that now, that’s what happens.” A little later, the 50-year-old said: “It’s not worth arguing.” He did it after all. “We had enough chances to score a third goal. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to defend completely without making any mistakes and gave up a penalty late on.”
But it’s a break. “It’s a draw at halftime,” emphasized sports director Max Eberl, while strong endurance runner Konrad Laimer also knew: “It’s halftime. The whole thing will be decided next week.” The history of comparisons between the two clubs could be enriched with an epic story. “We’ve seen that we can more than keep up, that we have phases where we control the game and get chances,” said Joshua Kimmich, “we’ll be able to do that next week too. Everything is open, the winner gets it Cake.”
After the second half, which lasts at least 90 minutes.