TWO SECOND-HALF goals in three minutes, including a superb chip from Leroy Sane, helped Bayern Munich defeat Barcelona 2-0 on Robert Lewandowski’s return to Bavaria in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Bayern’s France defender Lucas Hernandez headed in a corner to open the scoring, but it was Sane who put the game beyond doubt for the home side.
Former Manchester City forward Sane, who scored one and created another in Bayern’s 2-0 opening Champions League win at Inter Milan, helped turn the match, which was well in Barca’s favour after a furious opening half.
The Germany attacker scored Bayern’s second in the 54th minute, chipping a ball over Catalan keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen, just three minutes after Bayern’s Hernandez headed in a corner from Joshua Kimmich to open the scoring.
Lewandowski, greeted by warm applause from the home fans during the pre-game warm up, had several chances to open the scoring.
Lewandowski latched onto a dipping pass from Pedri in the 19th minute, but shot too high, just tickling the top of the crossbar.
Just one minute later the Poland forward again received the ball just metres from Bayern’s goal, but his header was saved from close range by Manuel Neuer.
Raphinha, starting his first Champions League game after making the move from Leeds in the summer, drilled in a low shot past a stranded Neuer after 27 minutes, but the Brazilian missed the goal by inches.
In the dying stages of the half, Barca had appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Danny Makkelie when Alphonso Davies brought down Ousmane Dembele on the edge of the box, with replays showing the Canadian made clear contact with the Frenchman’s legs.
At half-time, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann brought on Leon Goretzka for Marcel Sabitzer and the move almost paid immediate dividends, with the former’s rocket from outside the box deflected out by ter Stegen for a corner, which Hernandez would score from.
Bayern travel to Barcelona for the return fixture on 26 October.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid slumped to a surprise 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen thanks to late goals from Robert Andrich and Moussa Diaby.
The Spanish side were left reeling after Leverkusen struck twice in the last six minutes to claim only their second win of the season and leapfrog Atletico into second in Group B.
“I’m so proud of the team. Getting a result against a side like Atletico will do us a lot of good, especially given the phase we are in at the moment,” said Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, whose side have lost six of nine games in all competitions so far this season.
Atletico captain Koke told Movistar+ his side would have to be “self-critical” after letting the game slip away from them late on.
“We felt like we were in control, and then they hit us with two counter-attacks,” he said.
“We should have given more today, we have to be self-critical.”
Andrich had an early chance to give luckless Leverkusen the lead, smashing the ball over the bar from close range after just seven minutes.
Atletico were unfortunate not to be given a penalty after an apparent handball from defender Edmond Tapsoba midway through the first half.
After a brief discussion with the video assistant referee, English official Michael Oliver decided against a spot-kick, despite the replay showing that the ball had struck Tapsoba’s outstretched arm in the box.
“The referee didn’t tell us anything about the decision, he simply told us to carry on playing,” said Koke.
The hosts should have taken the lead shortly after half-time, but hit the woodwork twice within a matter of seconds.
Patrik Schick hit the bar from point blank range in a one-on-one with Atletico keeper Ivo Grbic, before Adam Hlozek headed the rebound onto the post.
Both sides had further chances to take the lead before Andrich and Diaby produced two smash-and-grab goals in the final minutes of the game.
Andrich curled the opener into the bottom corner from the edge of the area on 84 minutes, before Diaby tucked in the second at the end of a brutal counter-attack three minutes later.
Atletico head to Group B leaders Club Brugge in their next Champions League game on October 4, while Leverkusen head to Porto.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
The rule changes can’t make the game any worse to look at as a neutral than the sh!te we have seen for the past number of years. Football is light years behind hurling. Maybe this is the start of the comeback for the big ball.
@Maureen: Why do people feel the need to compare 2 different sports. Might as well compare Gaelic football to horse racing, has about the same relevance
@Mel Roberts: So u can see no comparison between both sports even tho so is so many dual players out there? Need I explain that both use the same pitches, goal posts, scoring system etc?
Football is awful to watch, something needed to be done, the Gaa recognise that mainly because the crowds are turning up. Hopefully these rules are a step in the right direction and bringing it back to the glory days.
@Maureen: that’s where the comparisons end. The glory days? Of what? Catch and kick? Not even look for a man just kick it as hard and as far as you can to the other end of the pitch, watch some of the games from 70s and 80s, awful awful stuff
@Mel Roberts: The likes of Tyrone destroyed the game with their possession basketball sh!te and 15 men behind the ball crap. Thankfully the Dubs put a stop to that.
You do know it’s called football? U can pass the ball with the foot as well? At least the top brass can see this and not handpass/throw the ball from one end to the other.
@Maureen: oh yeah it was Tyrone that destroyed football wasnt it. Maybe a motion should be put before Congress to ban Tyrone from entering the championship for all their sins
@Mel Roberts: how does the likes of Tyrone just mean Tyrone? Ye might as well be banned, if there was a B Championship ye would have a good chance of winning that! Thank f#ck ye are finished. Mickey Harte should stick to the Eurovision ; )
@Maureen: We are finished, won back to back Ulster titles in 2016 and 17 and All Ireland runners up in 2018. Sure lump us in the second tier championship right enough there
Why did Meath players club names suddenly go as gaeilge?
Something had to be done . The garbage football of the last few years was un-watchable .