Created on 24-04-2013 at 00:00 AM
For more than 80 minutes, Thomas Müller had behaved not just like a classy footballer, but like a seasoned middle-distance runner too. He crossed the pitch from side to side, he worked his way up and down the field, and he was always on the move. He produced what looked as though it would be his last sprint of the match, battling his way past Barcelona defenders Jordi Alba and Gerard Piqué, but keeper Victor Valdes saved his shot at goal. The Bayern forward turned to the dugout, signalling he would have to come off. “I took a knock and I started feeling the symptoms of cramp," he revealed afterwards.
Claudio Pizarro prepared to take over, but there was no break in play, so Müller was forced to remain in the fray for a little longer. He stayed on his feet – “and then it happened," explained the player, flashing his trademark grin. Franck Ribéry released David Alaba down the left flank, and a man in a red shirt appeared in the middle to force the ball home. No prizes for guessing the identity of the mystery scorer, a certain Thomas Müller. “Obviously it was outstanding, a dream moment," said the player named Man of the Match by UEFA, “I was still able to get to the six-yard box and put the ball in."