The first objective is complete. Thanks to a narrow but much deserved 2-1 win at PSV Eindhoven, FC Bayern are already through to the knock-out stage of the Champions League after only four matches. The record champions will now aim to finish top of Group D. “We wanted to win so that we could finish first of our own doing. We can still do that so it was a good day,” said Thomas Müller after the game. Coach Carlo Ancelotti added, “We now have two games to win the group.”
Reaction to the game
Carlo Ancelotti: "It was tough at the start but we slowly got into the game and just about managed to win in the end. It was important to control their counter-attacks and not to lose confidence after going 1-0 down. We played quicker after the break and created more chances. Bringing on Coman and Costa I tried to change the system to send in more crosses. It was good. We are through to the last 16, which is important. We now have two games to win the group."
Thomas Müller: "We started well and then conceded after a corner by us. All in all, I think we played well going forward but we were just a tad too slow moving the ball in the first half. Eindhoven sat deep but we tried to get through them. We can’t be 100-percent happy with the game but it’s still a good result. On the balance of things, a win by an extra goal would’ve been just. We wanted to win so that we could finish first of our own doing. We can still do that so it was a good day.”
Arjen Robben: "It was tough. We were too slow and didn’t play with conviction in the first half. It just wasn’t working for us. We have to do better than that. It was not a good game by us and we have to learn from this because we are still making the same errors. We are through but if we play like this in the last 16 then we will have problems.”
Phillip Cocu (PSV Eindhoven coach): “We tried everything. Bayer had more possession but we still defended well as a team. If we’d gone into the break in the lead, we would’ve had a better chance. We tried playing with more risk towards the end but that, unfortunately, didn’t work. I have to admit that Bayern are the better team.”
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