Bayern Munich versus Manchester City for a place in the Champions League semi finals was a very much anticipated contest as it promised to be the most fiercely contested doubleheader of the round.
It was supposed to be a clash between Bayern, a team that had won all of their games in the competition this season, keeping seven clean sheets out of eight games and conceding only two goals.
The Bavarians kept clean sheets in the doubleheaders against Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG Paris Saint-Germain, conceded the least goals while also being one of the most scoring teams in the competition.
And a Manchester City side, fresh from humiliating a German team in RB Leipzig in a 7-0 score line, thereby equaling their biggest ever win in the competition’s history.
However, the feeling started to sway immediately Bayern parted ways with now former manger, Julian Nagelsmann due to poor form domestically amongst other internal issues.
Prior to his first Champions League game as Bayern manager in the Ethiad, Bayern were unarguably the best side in the competition, keeping seven clean sheets from eight games and winning them all.
However, Thomas Tuchel could not help but watch his new side slump to a 3-0 defeat in the United Kingdom.
Despite the host being much the better side on the night in the first leg, it could have been a much tighter contest but for the underwhelming performance of French defender, Dayot Upamencano.
The 24year old had a strong first half but after that, it was a 135 minute of football action to forget across the two legs for him. City were leading 1-0 in the Ethiad and Bayern were very much in the game until he was caught in possession by Jack Grealish.
It led to City’s second goal and the host eventually got a third to literally end the tie ahead of the second leg in the Allianz Arena.
On the night in Munich, Upamencano was at it again. Got a red card for a foul on Erling Haaland, who was through on goal only to be saved by the offside flag in the 19th minute.
Seven minutes after the half hour mark, he conceded a penalty after using his arm to block an Ilkay Gundogan shot on goal. Fortunately, Erling Haaland couldn’t convert from 12 yards as the Norwegian sent his effort over the crossbar.
However, Bayern were made to pay for one of Upamencano errors in the Allianz Arena as the defender slipped, allowing Haaland a clear room to fire past Yann Sommer and open the scoring.
Bayern did get an equaliser from the penalty spot, dispatched by Joshua Kimmich after Sadio Mané’s cross strike the arm of Manuel Akanji as it finished all square on the night and 4-1 to City on aggregate.
Not to take anything away from Premier League champion, it was a phenomenon performance over the two legs but the Bavarians have not ben convincing under their new manager, Thomas Tuchel.
They’ve suffered elimination from the DFB Pokal in the hands of Freiburg right in the Allianz Arena and also failed to beat Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga just last weekend.
Their two wins under the former Chelsea boss have come in his first game in Der Klassiker and a narrow away win over Freiburg thanks to a Matthijs de Ligt’s belter.
It hasn’t really been a convincing time under Tuchel, who has now suffered elimination in two different competitions, 20 days into his first game as the new boss.
Bayern’s greatest fear and maybe their major reason parting ways with Nagelsmann was the thought that they were not good enough to get past City under his tutelage, but one thing they must have forgotten is that Bayern, despite their struggles domestically were class in the Champions League.
There chances of them qualifying for the semis under Nagelsmann is uncertain but at the same time, it isn’t for City as well. It was expected to be a tie for the ages but before it could come to be, the Bavarians have upset the buildup.
When the second goal went-in in the Ethiad and Bayern found no response only to concede a third, meaning they City in that match scored more goals than the Bavarians had conceded in eight previous Champions League games this season, all under Nagelsmann, there was a feeling that it is game over.
In the end, City have their way as many would have tipped them following the showing in the Ethiad last week and have now set up a rematch of the last season’s semi final, with defending Champion, Real Madrid awaiting them.
At some point, the Bayern Munich hierarchy must have thought, maybe letting Nagelsmann go at that time was a poor decision but in the end, regret changes nothing.
Now they will have themselves and maybe Dayot Upamencano to blame for their misfortune in a competition they consider a priority this season.
Focus now switch to the race for the Bundesliga title with just two points separating them from second place Borussia Dortmund. If not for the poor showing of Erdin Terzic’s men last weekend, they would have move level on points with Bayern.
But the race is still very much on and Bayern will be looking to retain the title they have won in each of the previous ten season uninterrupted.
If they can’t, it would be the worst season they have had in recent times, and none will be worthy of the blame than the club’s hierarchy.
Author : Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
