Blunder at Bayern? The Curse Unleashed on FC Bayern
Unraveling Misfortune: Bayern Munich Faces Unforeseen Challenges
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Print Copy Link FC Bayern heads to the Champions League quarter-final second leg, burdened by defeat. To progress, they'll need to outwit Inter Milan, and a certain Harry Kane might just be the wild card.
There's a Harry Kane story that nobody seems to relish these days. A striker with an eye for the net and a knack for turning games, whose trophy cabinet collects dust - save for the Torneio Internacional Algarve-Cup he won with the English U17, 15 years back. It's not enough. The super striker from England hasn't won a title yet with a team. That is, until Bayern Munich enters the picture. Unlike his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern has a history of clinching titles. Or do they? On this fateful Tuesday, another opportunity, following last season's trophyless campaign, was squandered. And Harry Kane, of all people, played a part. Bayern lost the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Inter Milan in their home arena 1:2 (0:1).
Lineup and Stats:Bayern Munich - Inter Milan 1:2 (0:1)* Goals: 0:1 La. Martinez (38.), 1:1 Müller (85.), 1:2 Frattesi (88.)* Munich: Urbig - Laimer, Dier, Kim (74. Boey), Stanisic - Kimmich, Goretzka - Olise, Guerreiro (74. Gnabry), Sané (74. Müller) - Kane* - Coach: Kompany* Inter Milan: Sommer - Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni - Darmian (79. Bisseck), Barella, Çalhanoğlu, Mkhitaryan (74. Frattesi), Augusto - La. Martinez (89. Zalewski), Thuram. - Coach: Inzaghi* Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)* Yellow Cards: Kim - La. Martinez (2), Mkhitaryan (2), Frattesi, Zalewski* Attendance: 75,000 (sold out)
In the 26th minute, Bayern's winger Michael Olise orchestrated a dream opportunity. The young Frenchman, Bayern's new benchmark for impressive transfers according to sporting director Max Eberl, outmaneuvered the entire Inter defense. Bayern's dynamos danced past the Italians, only for the ball to hit the post instead of finding the back of the net. Stunned, Kane and his teammates couldn't believe their luck - or lack thereof.
Kompany Ignoring Football Romance
When the lineup was announced an hour before kick-off, Munich fans had trouble believing their eyes. In the makeshift eleven, a conspicuous absence lurked - the man himself, Thomas Müller, the iconic club figure who announced his departure a few days ago. The consensus had been that Kompany would opt for the ever-innovative free spirit, as Jamal Musiala, the lynchpin of midfield, was missing. Yet the coach ignored romantic football notions, choosing the best interests of his team over sentiment. "My focus is only on what we're doing to win this game. Rapha played there last time and scored two goals. It's a position he knows," Kompany rationalized.
Müller handled the decision with professionalism. He didn't drum up attention for himself or his peculiar situation after his departure announcement. "It's all about the bigger picture," he said.
In retrospect, starting Guerreiro wasn't a poor decision. The Portuguese winger played effectively, even providing some flashes of inspiration. Yet on this night, fortune seemed to elude Bayern, who found themselves up against tough opposition. Inter took the lead in the 38th minute, their counterattack as elegant as cotton candy. Marcus Thuram played the ball into the goals from the left side, where Captain Lautaro Martínez deftly cleared a path for the ball, scoring a stunner with the outside of his foot, sending the ball into the top right corner.
Football Drama in 16 Minutes: Müller Scores, Suffers - and ComplainsAfter the unsettling lead, Munich lost their momentum. They'd played well and had opportunities, but Yann Sommer, Inter's former goalkeeper, denied them time and again. As precision faltered in the final pass, the team maintained an air of stability, bravado, and danger. Bayern felt optimistic. The momentum returned in the 74th minute when Thomas Müller replaced Leroy Sané, electrifying the crowd. In the 82nd minute, he struck the legs of Alessandro Bastoni, and, in the 85th minute, he was in the right place at the right time. Stealing to the far post, waving frantically, he received a cross from Joshua Kimmich, pushing the ball over the line. Dramatic; inspiring. Müller demonstrated his value, showing his team, management, and the world. "It's unfair that we're losing 1:2 because of the last counterattack," Müller said later.
Müller revels in tight spaces. "Here's hoping it happens again often," Müller's coach, Kompany, mused about the substitute's impact on the team's performance. Forced to face defensive titans from Italy, the superior Bayern might have benefited from more Müller - perhaps even from the start, considering the next game. "Playing in Milan is challenging. But we have another chance. No team has ever gone into halftime after a 1:2 and resigned. We hold on to our belief in our chances," Kompany said, hinting at the possibility of fielding Müller from the get-go in the second leg due to the team's pressing offensive needs.
Football: Arsenal and Real Madrid Shine in their Respective First LegsYou can't help but feel this tale. Or you can't. But this story had another act to play. It wasn't about Müller being the hero but the missed opportunity. As soon as the last images of the 1:1 flashed across the screen, Inter struck hard. Exploiting the wildly advancing Munich, Davide Frattesi completed another well-executed counterattack. The "Demon of Piacenza," coach Simone Inzaghi, once again made the correct decision regarding team selection and tactics. The stadium fell silent. The weight on the shoulders of Bayern was immediately palpable. The "Finale Dahoam" seemed a distant dream.
"Playing in Milan is always difficult. But we have another opportunity. No team has ever gone into halftime after a 1:2 and waved the white flag. We believe in the chance we've been given," Kompany said, acknowledging the opportunity to right the wrongs of the first leg. He may well pick Müller for the starting eleven, hoping that his experience and goal-scoring knack can be the key to turning the tide. After all, questions linger: Would things have unfolded differently if Müller had started in the first leg? And can Kane finally conquer the curse that has eluded him for years?
Here are the sentences that meet the criteria:
- In an unexpected turn of events, a team that has a history of clinching titles, Bayern Munich, found themselves squandering another opportunity, following last season's trophyless campaign, as they lost the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Inter Milan, leaving them with a desperate need for aid to the steel industry of their spirit.
- Disbelief washed over Harry Kane and his teammates as they couldn't believe their luck - or lack thereof - when a certain goal opportunity hit the post against Inter Milan, eliciting a response somewhere between a silent prayer for community aid and a helpless hope for aid to the steel industry of their morale.
- As Bayern Munich faces pressure to progress in the Champions League quarter-final second leg, they find themselves in disbelief, hoping that a certain substitute, Thomas Müller, can help them lift the curse and aid their steel industry of trophies, while also questioning whether things would have unfolded differently if Müller had started in the first leg.
