Villarreal Stun Bayern Munich 1-0 in 1st Leg of Champions League Quarterfinal
Apr 6, 2022
VILLARREAL, SPAIN - APRIL 06: Arnaut Danjuma of Villarreal CF celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Villarreal CF and Bayern München at Estadio de la Ceramica on April 06, 2022 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Villarreal has Bayern Munich on the ropes in the Champions League quarterfinals thanks to a 1-0 victory in the first leg Wednesday night.
Bayern was fortunate to come away with a draw from its first leg against Red Bull Salzburg in the round of 16 as Kingsley Coman scored in the 90th minute. The German giants followed with a 7-1 demolition of Salzburg to reassert the natural order of things.
Even with the opening leg at Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal entered as the obvious underdog. The club sits seventh in La Liga and followed its 3-0 victory over Juventus with defeats to Cadiz and Levante.
But Bayern Munich found itself down 1-0 in just the eighth minute. Dani Parejo hit a low shot that appeared to be going wide but fortuitously found the feet of Arnaut Danjuma.
Bayern haven't lost away in the #UCL since 2017. 👀
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 6, 2022
Francis Coquelin appeared to double Villarreal's lead when his mishit cross floated into the back post in the 41st minute. The goal was taken off the board, however, following a video review.
A 2-0 scoreline wouldn't have flattered the host, which did a great job of controlling the tempo in the first half. Bayern Munich didn't have a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes, and the impact of Robert Lewandowski hardly registered.
Bayern zero shots on target. Thomas Muller and Lewandowski barely had a kick. Lewy just 13 touches, the majority in his own half.
As the second half got underway, there remained a sense that the other shoe would drop for Villarreal. Bayern's quality would shine through sooner or later, or the Yellow Submarine would slowly run out of gas as the finish line approached.
For the second time, Manuel Neuer was also spared after making an uncharacteristic error. The Bayern goalkeeper ventured well outside of his box and hit a pass that was intercepted by Gerard Moreno. The Villarreal winger let loose from around the halfway line and saw his effort bounce wide.
Gerard Moreno almost lobbed Manuel Neuer from the half way line.
On the other end of the pitch, it looked like Villarreal were playing with two or three extra players with how frequently they were blocking Bayern Munich's efforts on goal.
But Bayern's draw with Salzburg served as a reminder of how all of Villarreal's work could be undone in a moment. All of the scoring opportunities the Spanish side wasted could come back to haunt the club.
Coman was almost the hero for the Bavarians again when he was unmarked in the box, but he hit his half-volley straight at Geronimo Rulli in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.
Unlike Salzburg, Villarreal held on and put the pressure squarely on Bayern Munich for the return fixture.
What's Next?
The clubs will head to Allianz Arena on April 12 for the second leg.
Robert Lewandowski Wins FIFA's The Best over Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah
Jan 17, 2022
COLOGNE, GERMANY - JANUARY 15: Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Muenchen controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between 1. FC Köln and FC Bayern München at RheinEnergieStadion on January 15, 2022 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski has been named The Best FIFA Men's Player for 2021:
Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah were also finalists for the award.
It's the second straight FIFA player of the year honor for Lewandowski, who has been shut out for the Ballon d'Or Trophy, another award given to the best in world football. Messi was named the 2021 Ballon d'Or winner as Lewandowski finished second, while the award was canceled in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lewandowski has been the most dominant goal scorer in the world over the past few years. He has 23 goals through 19 Bundesliga matches this season to lead all players in the top five leagues. His nine Champions League goals rank second behind Ajax forward Sebastien Haller (10).
The 33-year-old set a Bundesliga record with 41 goals in 2020-21, breaking Gerd Muller's record of 40 from 1971-72.
The striker helped Bayern Munich win a ninth straight league title as well as the FIFA Club World Cup after winning a Champions League title in 2020. The squad has finished first in the Bundesliga in all seven years with Lewandowski on the roster and currently sit on top of the table for 2021-22.
While Messi led Argentina to a Copa America championship over the summer, Lewandowski has kept Poland competitive despite being overmatched in most competitions. The national team qualified for Euro 2020 and is two wins away from reaching the 2022 World Cup.
Through eight World Cup qualifying matches, Lewandowski has eight goals and four assists.
Salah also impressed throughout 2021, scoring 16 Premier League goals to begin this season after tallying 22 a year ago. He still couldn't keep up with Lewandowski from either an individual or team perspective over the past year.
It's been an all-around outstanding year for the superstar as he continues to raise the bar deep into his career.
Barcelona Eliminated from Champions League After 3-0 Loss to Bayern Munich
Dec 8, 2021
Bayern Munich's German midfielder Leroy Sane (2nd R) celebrates scoring the 2-0 with his team-mates Bayern Munich's French forward Kingsley Coman (L) and Bayern Munich's Canadian midfielder Alphonso Davies (2nd L) during the UEFA Champions League group E football match FC Bayern Munich v FC Barcelona in Munich, southern Germany on December 8, 2021. (Photo by Christof STACHE / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Bayern Munich closed out its group stage of the UEFA Champions League with a 3-0 home victory over Barcelona on Wednesday at Allianz Arena.
Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala all scored to help the German club coast to three points.
Bayern had already sealed first place in Group E by winning its first five matches. Barcelona, on the other hand, owned a slim two-point edge over Benfica, so anything other than a win opened the door for the Portuguese club to catapult itself into second place.
With Benfica's 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv, Barca failed to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time since 2003-04.
Neither Bayern nor Barcelona got on the scoresheet by the time Roman Yaremchuk and Gilberto gave Benfica a 2-0 lead.
Things didn't get much better for Barca in the 31st minute as Jordi Alba was forced to exit through injury. Shortly thereafter, Muller put Bayern ahead.
Robert Lewandowski kept Gerard Pique at a distance and floated the ball toward the back post. Muller didn't make great contact, but his header crossed the goal line before right back Ronald Araujo could make the clearance.
It wasn't a goal against the run of play since Barcelona were chasing Bayern for much of the first 30 minutes. Bayern going ahead felt an inevitability.
Barca are a shambles. A half-paced Bayern getting through with every attack.
Sane doubled Bayern Munich's lead in the 43rd minute in a moment that encapsulated how Wednesday simply wasn't Barcelona's night. Sane's shot had a combination of power and movement that made it somewhat difficult to track, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen's effort to make the save was surprisingly poor.
A comeback looked unlikely when Barcelona trailed by just two goals. Musiala put the final nail in the coffin in the 62nd minute when he scored from close range.
This outcome was entirely foreseeable for Barcelona. The club has been a mess behind the scenes for years, and it no longer has Lionel Messi to paper over the cracks of an aging, flawed squad on the field. Sixteen points separate La Liga leader Real Madrid from Barca, in seventh place.
Perhaps Xavi, who was appointed manager a month ago, will be the next Pep Guardiola over time and usher in a new era of dominance domestically and abroad. However, the 41-year-old remains unproven at this level, and there's only so much he can do to address the long-standing problems that have lingered at the Camp Nou.
On the other side, Bayern demonstrated why it's one of the strongest contenders in the Champions League field.
This was a comprehensive performance from the nine-time reigning Bundesliga champions. They limited their opponents to two shots on target and completed 71 more passes.
Most impressively, Bayern didn't seem to be operating at its full capacity yet maintained control for almost all 90 minutes.
What's Next?
Bayern awaits the results of Monday's round-of-16 draw. The German giant will be a seeded team by virtue of winning the group. By finishing third, Barcelona will fall into the Europa League.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies Pens Inspirational Letter to Refugee Paralympic Team
Aug 23, 2021
MOENCHENGLADBACH, GERMANY - AUGUST 13: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Alphonso Davies of Bayern Muenchen gestures during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and FC Bayern Muenchen at Borussia-Park on August 13, 2021 in Moenchengladbach, Germany. (Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies
wrote a letter to the six members of the Refugee Paralympic Team
ahead of the 2021 Summer Paralympics, which begin Tuesday in Tokyo.
Davies, who was born in a refugee camp
in Ghana before moving to Canada at a young age, labeled it a "note
for the world's most courageous sports team" and said the athletes have the "power to inspire others:"
Davies is a global goodwill ambassador
for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an
agency dedicated to improving the lives of refugees around the
world.
"My own experiences make me want to
speak up for refugees, to share their stories and to help make a
difference," the 20-year-old Bayern star said after accepting the
role in March.
Here are the members of this year's
Refugee Paralympic Team:
Ibrahim Al Hussein (Syria)
Parfait Hakizimana (Burundi)
Alia Issa (Syria)
Abbas Karimi (Afghanistan)
Anas Al Khalifa (Syria)
Shahrad Nasajpour (Iran)
Issa is the first woman to compete as a
refugee in the Paralympic Games. She will try to secure a gold medal in the women's club throw.
"Sport has given me independence," Issa said in May. "I am now suddenly part of a new community, making
new friends with similar goals."
Alia Issa first got in touch with Para sports 3 years ago. Now she is a Paralympic hopeful and traveled to Switzerland in search of qualification for @Tokyo2020 .
Al Hussein and Nasajpour also competed
at the 2016 Rio Paralympics under the banner of Independent
Paralympic Athletes.
The Tokyo Games mark the first official
appearance for a Refugee Paralympic Team, which is led by American
Ileana Rodriguez, a refugee from Cuba who was chosen as the chef de mission for the squad after previously competing in the 2012 London
Paralympics.
"All Paralympians have a story of
struggle. But with refugees, you add another level of complexity to
this," Rodriguez said in June, per sportanddev.org. "Seeing their attitude, and seeing
how they portray their stories of hope, their courage, it is
mind-blowing, even for an athlete like myself."
The Tokyo Paralympics are scheduled to
run from Tuesday through Sept. 5, with more than 4,500 athletes expected to compete in more than 500 events.
Bayern Munich, Germany Legend Gerd Muller Dies at Age 75
Aug 15, 2021
Former German soccer star, Gerd Mueller, right, working as a talent scout for his old team FC Bayern Munich talks to former football player and now general manager of the Bavarian club Uli Hoeness, on January 9, 1992 in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Arne Dedert)
Former Bayern Munich star Gerd Muller died Sunday at the age of 75, the club announced in a statement.
FC Bayern are mourning the passing of Gerd Müller.
The FC Bayern world is standing still today. The club and all its fans are mourning the death of Gerd Müller, who passed away on Sunday morning at the age of 75.
"Today is a sad, dark day for FC Bayern and all its fans," Bayern President Herbert Hainer said. "Gerd Muller was the greatest striker there’s ever been, and a fine person and character of world football. We're all united in deep mourning with his wife Uschi as well as his family. FC Bayern wouldn’t be the club we all love today without Gerd Müller. His name and memory will live on forever."
Muller appeared in 607 competitive matches for Bayern Munich from 1964-79, scoring 566 total goals. His 365 Bundesliga goals remains a record in the league, while he was the top scorer in Germany's top flight seven different times.
He set a Bundesliga record with 40 goals in a single season that stood until Robert Lewandowski scored 41 for Bayern Munich in 2020-21.
During his stretch with Bayern Munich, Muller led the club to four league titles, four DFB Cup trophies and three European Cups.
The striker also excelled for the West German national team, leading the squad to the 1974 World Cup title and 1972 European Championship. He scored 14 goals across his two appearances at the World Cup.
Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn discussed the superstar Sunday:
The news of Gerd Muller’s death deeply saddens us all. He’s one of the greatest legends in the history of FC Bayern, his achievements are unrivalled to this day and will forever be a part of the great history of FC Bayern and all of German football. As a player and a person, Gerd Müller stands for FC Bayern and its development into one of the biggest clubs in the world like no other. Gerd will forever be in our hearts.
Muller was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and made his last public appearance in 2013.
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski Scores 41st Goal of Season, Sets Bundesliga Record
May 22, 2021
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski, top right, scores his side's fifth goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and FC Augsburg at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, May 22, 2021. (Sven Hoppe, Pool via AP)
Bayern Munich striker Robert
Lewandowski set a new Bundesliga single-season record by scoring his
41st goal during Saturday's match against Augsburg.
Robert Lewandowski's 41 goals is the most EVER scored in a Bundesliga season 💥 pic.twitter.com/HtPFtdR2Ia
Lewandowski corralled a rebound in the
90th minute and used some fancy footwork to create space before sliding the ball into the net to set the new standard in a 5-2 win:
The 32-year-old Poland international
shared the record with former Bayern star Gerd Muller, who held the
three highest totals—40 in 1971-72, 38 in 1969-70 and 36 in
1972-73—before the dominant campaign from Lewandowski, who broke
the mark in the final match of the term.
It's the fourth straight season and the
sixth time in the past eight years Lewandowski finished atop the
Bundesliga's scoring list, a run that includes time with both Bayern
and Borussia Dortmund.
The Bavarians had long locked up the
domestic title before Saturday's fixture, finishing 13 points ahead
of second-place RB Leipzig in the table, so Lewandowski's pursuit of
the record represented the only major drama heading into the last
match.
Lewandowski commented on Muller after
he tied the mark of 40 last Saturday:
"It's a great honor. For me, but also
for the modern history of the Bundesliga in Germany. That makes me
happy. It was a legendary record that lasted for a long time. What
Gerd Muller did was incredible. I never thought that I could manage
to have a record with him. I am very proud and still can't believe
it. I still need some time. The record belongs to the whole team. Not
only my name is on the list, but that of the whole team."
Muller still holds the all-time
Bundesliga mark with 365 career goals.
Along with the 41 goals, Lewandowski
picked up seven assists in 29 league matches this season. He added five goals in six Champions League appearances.
Bayern also secured trophies from the
UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and DFL-Supercup throughout the
2020-21 season.
Hansi Flick Announces He Will Leave Bayern Munich After Season
Apr 17, 2021
Munich coach Hansi Flick looks at his watch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at Signal Iduna Park, in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. (Bernd Thissen/Pool via AP)
Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick told reporters after his club's 3-2 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday that he would be stepping down from his post after the season.
"I told the team today that I informed the club during the week, after the game in Paris, I would like to terminate my contract at the end of the season," he said.
All indications are that Flick will become the next manager of the German national team, according to football journalist Fabrizio Romano:
After the official announcement of his decision about Bayern future, Hansi Flick is now set to become the new coach of German National Team after the Euros, when Joachim Löw will leave the job. 🇩🇪 #Bayern
Flick, 56, has been in charge of Bayern since November 2019, leading the team to Bundesliga, Champions League and German Cup triumphs in the 2019-20 campaign.
This year has been more of a struggle, with the Bavarian powerhouse bowing out in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and losing in the second round of the German Cup to second-tier side Holstein Kiel, though the team sits atop the Bundesliga table after 29 games played and holds a comfortable seven-point cushion over RB Leipzig.
Alex Richardsof the Mirror reported that Flick "has fallen out with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic" over the club's transfer business, specifically the departure of midfielder Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool and the failure to sign a backup for star striker Robert Lewandowski.
As for who might replace him at Bayern, Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann is believed to be the frontrunner:
It'll be interesting to see how appealing Flick makes that Bayern job look in the summer. Kovac has already came out and criticised the situation. Rummenigge leaving also another blow. Does an ambitious coach want to work under Salihamidzic/Kahn after this mess?
Flick has had a fantastic—if brief—run at Bayern Munich. His shoes will be big ones to fill, though a club of Bayern's stature should be able to land its preferred replacement.
Robert Lewandowski Wins FIFA's The Best over Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
Dec 17, 2020
From left on the screen: Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Poland's Robert Lewandowski and Argentina's Lionel Messi wait for hosts Reshmin Chowdhury, right, former Dutch soccer player Ruud Gullit, left, to announce the best player award during the Best FIFA Football Awards Ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. (Valeriano Di Domenico/Pool via AP)
Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski was named The Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year in 2020 on Thursday, besting Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo.
"To win such an award and share this title with [previous winners] Messi and Ronaldo is unbelievable and means so much to me. I am very proud and happy. This is a great day for me, and also for my club and colleagues. This award also belongs to my colleagues, the coach and Bayern in general. It is an incredible feeling, a lot of emotions."
I will repeat what I said a while ago. Never stop dreaming🙏 Thank you so much for this award, it’s an incredible honour to receive this tonight🏆 Dziękuję! #TheBest@FIFAcom
It's a bit of an upset any time Messi or Ronaldo don't win this award. Among current players since 2008, Messi has won it six times, Ronaldo five times and Luka Modric once (2018).
Ronaldo didn't seem thrilled to be a runner-up:
Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction when Robert Lewandowski was announced The Best Men's Player for 2020 😬 pic.twitter.com/GsFgtEi33U
Lewandowski, 32, is a worthy winner, however. The Poland star scored 55 goals for Bayern Munich last season as they were Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal champions. In a year without the Ballon d'Or, canceled because of COVID-19, winning FIFA's The Best was the preeminent honor in men's world football this year.
"We won everything we could with Bayern," Lewandowski told reporters in late August. "I was the top scorer in all competitions I featured in, and I think a player who achieves this would win the Ballon d'Or."
As for the other winners Thursday, Manchester City's Lucy Bronze won The Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year, Bayern's Manuel Neuer was named best goalkeeper, Tottenham's Heung-Min Son won the Puskas Award for best goal, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp was named Men's Coach of the Year for the second time, and Netherlands manager Sarina Wiegman won Women's Coach of the Year for the second time.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies Out 6-8 Weeks with Ankle Ligament Injury
Oct 24, 2020
Bayern's Alphonso Davies controls the ball during the 1st round German Soccer Cup match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Duren, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/ Matthias Schrader)
Bayern Munich announced left back Alphonso Davies is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a ligament injury in his right ankle during Saturday's match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Davies was injured and removed from the fixture after just three minutes. He was replaced by Lucas Hernandez. Bayern won 5-0.
The 19-year-old Canada international was making his first start since Oct. 15 against Duren in the DFB-Pokal. Hernandez was in the starting XI for a Bundesliga win over Arminia Bielefeld and a Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid.
Bayern manager Hansi Flick said the lineup change wasn't as much a demotion for Davies as it was a chance for the teenage sensation to "recharge."
"For a young player like Alphonso Davies, it's not easy due to the sheer number of games last season and the short preseason," Flicktold reporters. "We've deliberately given him the time to recharge—mentally and physically—and that's what he's been doing."
Teammate Thomas Muller wished the defender the best during his recovery:
