End of Thomas Müller's Champions League Journey Following 163 Matches with Inter Milan
With Bayern Munich's exit from the UEFA Champions League, a legendary football career is drawing to a close. Thomas Müller, after playing an astounding 163 games in Europe's elite competition, has played his final Champions League game with the team following a 2-2 draw against Inter Milan.
In the second leg at the San Siro, Bayern needed a win to keep the tie alive, but that didn't happen, and the outcome was dramatically sealed in the fifth minute of injury time when Müller missed the decisive header, saved by Yann Sommer.
"We're disappointed," Müller stated after the match. "I gave everything, we gave everything. We played against the best team in Italy, who have only conceded two goals in the Champions League before facing us."
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Interestingly, Bayern Munich boasts a perfect record of winning all four previous encounters against Inter Milan at the San Siro. Although Bayern was decimated and chances were scarce, there were opportunities to secure the needed result.
"Football is all about details," Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany said after the game. "When you look at how the two games went, we wouldn't have wished for a lot different, except the goals we conceded. We knew about Inter's strengths going forward and from set pieces - but we were also dangerous and had our chances."
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On the field, after Harry Kane gave Bayern the lead (52'), two mistakes from corners turned the game around for Inter. Lautaro Martínez equalized after a Joshua Kimmich giveaway inside the box, and then Benjamin Pavard beat Min-Jae Kim to a crucial header to turn the result around.
"We gave everything to win," Bayern star striker Harry Kane stated. "We had enough chances over the two legs. Conceding two goals from set pieces today was criminal. It completely shifted the momentum. We came very close. Football is about moments; they took theirs more than we did."
Despite seeming defeated, Bayern mounted a comeback with a header from an impossible angle by Eric Dier (76'). However, they ultimately fell short when Yann Sommer saved Thomas Müller's header in the game's dying moments, ending Bayern's Champions League campaign.
"He fought until the last minute," Kompany said about Müller's performances. "As the months go on, we'll understand more how important be really is. We still have two trophies to fight for together. Thomas is one of the biggest legends of this club."
Kompany will have to address the question of whether starting the 2014 World Cup winner was the right choice in the first place. Perhaps a more creative attacking lineup would have been more effective against Inter's defensive lineup.
Indeed, once Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry were on, Bayern seemed more aggressive, creative, and direct in their attacking movements. Even Müller's final chance, if Kane or Gnabry had been there, might have resulted in a different outcome.
Ultimately, though, Bayern is out of the Champions League, leaving only the Bundesliga title to fight for. With a six-point gap and just five games remaining, the Meisterschale seems all but secure at this point.
The decision-makers at Bayern will probably find winning just the Bundesliga sufficient after last season. However, next season, Kompany will need to deliver in Europe. And it won't just be him; Max Eberl and Christoph Freund will have to sell older stars and add new, fresh faces to the side.
"When you're at Bayern Munich, you expect to reach the semifinals and final of the Champions League," Kane said. Anything but success in the Champions League next season will not suffice going forward.
Thomas Müller, one of Bayern Munich's greatest players, has played his final Champions League game, ending a remarkable career in Europe's premier competition. As the club looks forward, they must shuffle their roster to maintain their competitive edge in the Champions League.
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- Despite a perfect record of winning all four previous encounters against Inter Milan at the San Siro, Bayern Munich's final Champions League game against Inter was a 2-2 draw, marking the end of Thomas Müller's European competition career.
- In the second leg at the San Siro, Yann Sommer saved a crucial header by Thomas Müller in the fifth minute of injury time, sealing Bayern Munich's exit from the Champions League.
- Bayern Munich's head coach, Vincent Kompany, acknowledged the importance of Thomas Müller to the team, stating that his contributions would be more understood as the months go on.
- As the club looks to maintain its competitive edge in the Champions League, decision-makers at Bayern Munich will need to sell older stars and add new, fresh faces to the side, ensuring a strong showing in European leagues next season.
- Thomas Müller, one of Bayern Munich's greatest players, has played his final Champions League game, leaving only the Bundesliga title to fight for this season, with the club aiming for success in Europe next season.
