Delight at undefeated group stage campaign

Bayern have finished Champions League Group F in first place with 14 points from six matches, equalling the 2001 winners’ best-ever tally at this stage of the competition.

“I think it's been an outstanding group stage. Four wins, two draws and no defeats is a sensational achievement,“ Uli Hoeneß declared after Wednesday’s 3-2 victory in Lyon. Bayern led 3-0 at half-time, but despite a fightback from the home side and the narrow margin of victory at the end, the FCB official was unstinting in his praise for the Munich players.

Reaction to Lyon v Bayern

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: “We’re extremely pleased. We’ve finished in first place, which means we’ve hit our target, and it wasn’t an easy group. The team deserve praise. They played terrific football in the first half. I think we deserved it, although Lyon fought back furiously in the second half.“

Uli Hoeneß: “I think we can be very satisfied. Unfortunately, we failed to score a fourth just after half-time, which would have made it a relaxing evening. But we’re still pleased, because I think we’ve had an outstanding group stage. Four wins, two draws and no defeats is a sensational achievement. If you’re comfortably 3-0 in the lead and look like getting a fourth, I reckon your thoughts do drift to the next match in Stuttgart. We were a little careless, but I still want to praise the team.“

Franz Beckenbauer: “It’s obviously understandable to slow the game down at 3-0 up, but it proved a real encouragement to our opponents. However, four wins and two draws is outstanding at the group stage.“