Bayern's most legendary knockout games from 2001 to 2010

Titles at the San Siro, the miracle of Getafe and cup triumphs – Bayern Munich enjoyed some legendary knockout matches between 2001 and 2010. fcbayern.com takes a look back at some of the best.

01.05.2001: Real Madrid – FC Bayern

The semi-finals of the 2000/01 Champions League saw the Reds up against the star ensemble of title holders Real Madrid. But Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side withstood the attack of the so-called ‘Galacticos’ and silenced the Santiago Bernabeu in the 55th minute. Giovane Elber had been doubtful coming into the game after a knee operation but netted the only goal of the game on the spin from a good 20 yards. Bayern would win the second leg in Munich 2-1 the following week to progress to the final. “In individual positions we weren’t the best team, but we were strong as a team,” the Brazilian goalscorer later said of Bayern’s formula for success against Real.

23.05.2001: Valencia – FC Bayern

Bayern couldn’t have had a better start to the new millennium as they banished the memories of the Champions League final defeat to Manchester United two years previously by lifting the trophy in Milan’s San Siro. Yet the record German champions got off to an awful start as Valencia took the lead inside just two minutes from the penalty spot. To make matters worse, Mehmet Scholl missed his chance to equalise from 12 yards just three minutes later. Yet Hitzfeld’s side didn’t hide away and, awarded another penalty, levelled things up through Stefan Effenberg in the 53rd minute. With no more goals forthcoming, the 2001 Champions League title was to be decided in a shootout and saw Oliver Kahn become the hero for Bayern as he saved two spot-kicks. The seventh penalty from Thomas Linke put FCB ahead before Mauricio Pellegrino faced Der Titan. The three-time World’s Best Goalkeeper guessed right, saved and sparked wild celebrations.

27.11.2001: FC Bayern – Boca Juniors

In November 2001, Bayern topped their champions league triumph in the San Siro by becoming world champions for the first time in 25 years. Hitzfeld’s side claimed a 1-0 win over Boca Juniors in Tokyo for the second Intercontinental Cup in the club’s history, but it took some time for the goal to come. A corner from Ciriaco Sforza caused mayhem in the Argentines’ box during extra-time before Sammy Kuffour found a way through for the winning goal in the 109th minute. It was perhaps one of the most important goals in the defender’s career.

02.04.2002: FC Bayern – Real Madrid

Just a year after the legendary semi-final, Bayern again faced Real Madrid in the Champions League, this time in the quarter-finals. The holders from Munich wanted a good result from the first leg but went behind early on through Gerimi. Hitzfeld’s side were struggling, so the coach made changes at half-time by bringing on Hasan Salihamidzic and Claudio Pizarro. Both brought new life to Bayern’s game. The current sporting director first won a penalty, but Effenberg missed it in the 72nd minute. Just 10 minutes later, though, the captain made amends and netted the equaliser before Pizarro bagged the winner with two minutes remaining. FCB had turned it around. However, it wasn’t enough over the course of the tie as Real won the second leg in Madrid 2-0.

03.04.2007: AC Milan – FC Bayern

In the 2007 Champions League quarter-final, Bayern made the trip to Milan with rather mixed emotions. On the one hand, FCB had won their first Champions League title at the San Siro in 2001, but on the other, they were facing an AC Milan team that evoked bad memories in European competition. And things again started well for the Italians against the record German champions. Andrea Pirlo gave the hosts the lead shortly before half-time, and Bayern struggled further after the break until a hectic closing stage where Daniel Van Buyten played a key role. The Belgian defender twice equalised, first in the 78th minute and then in the 93rd after Milan had retaken the lead through Kaka’s controversial penalty. It was his sole brace in the Champions League, but wasn’t enough to progress as the Rossoneri claimed a 2-0 win in Munich the following week.

10.04.2008: Getafe – FC Bayern

FCB suffered a rollercoaster of emotions in the quarter-final of the 2007/08 UEFA Cup against supposed underdogs Getafe. The Spaniards secured a 1-1 draw in Munich, meaning Bayern had to score in the second leg. Although a red card for Ruben de la Red in the sixth minute meant the visitors had a man advantage, it was in fact Getafe who took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Yet Franck Ribery found an equaliser in the 89th minute to take the tie to extra-time, where the Spaniards put Bayern on the verge of elimination with two quick early goals. FCB threw everything forward until Luca Toni got one back with five minutes remaining. And when the striker netted again in the final minute, all hell broke loose. Bayern held the advantage on away goals and captain Kahn, as he later revealed, was “all over the place”.

19.04.2008: Borussia Dortmund – FC Bayern

Just days after the drama of Getafe, Toni once again demonstrated his talent for important goals in the DFB Cup final against Borussia Dortmund. As clear Bundesliga leaders, Bayern went into the game as favourites. However, BVB had something to say about that. Toni gave the Reds the lead in the 11th minute but they failed to put the game to bed with another goal, allowing Borussia to keep touch. Mladen Petric went on to equalise in the second minute of injury time and feed Dortmund’s title ambitions, but Bayern’s Italian World Cup winner still had something to say and bagged his brace in the 113th minute to secure the club’s 14th DFB Cup.

10.03.2009: FC Bayern 7-1 Sporting Lisbon

Taking a 5-0 lead back to the Allianz Arena in the Champions League last 16 in March 2009, Bayern could’ve been excused if they took things easy against Sporting. But instead they provided the Munich faithful with a goal fest and the start of a legendary career. Lukas Podolski (2), an Anderson Polga own goal, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mark van Bommel and Miroslav Klose’s penalty warmed up the crowd before 19-year-old Thomas Müller bagged his first Bayern goal to round off a 7-1 win. After 180 minutes of action, the aggregate scoreline was 12-1 for FCB, setting a new Champions League record for a two-legged knockout tie.

24.03.2010: Schalke 0-1 FC Bayern

The 2010 DFB Cup semi-final against Schalke was on a knife’s edge. Bayern were controlling the game but neither side could find a way through until late into extra-time. Arjen Robben then tapped into his energy reserves and set off on a run in the 112th minute that no one expected. The Dutchman picked up the ball deep in his own half after a throw from goalkeeper Jörg Butt. He then beat two defenders just before the halfway line and was away, playing the ball perfectly along the touchline at high speed, with no inkling that he’d played for almost two hours. In typical Robben style, he then cut inside as he got level with the box. What was happening was predictable but unstoppable. His left-footed finish was perfect and would be the only goal of the game as Bayern reached the DFB Cup final on 17 May.

Robben picks out his best goals for Bayern:

30.03.2010: FC Bayern 2-1 Manchester United

The game was already into injury time but Bayern desperately wanted to turn a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United into a win. Substitute Mario Gomez gave everything he had and dribbled from the halfway line to the penalty area. Nemanja Vidic would stop him, but the Serbian and his defence didn’t see Ivica Olic. The Croatian came in off the wing unnoticed and pinched the ball off Patrice Evra. He only had Edwin van der Sar to beat, waiting to see which way the goalkeeper would go before slotting the ball home for 2-1. Having gone behind inside 63 seconds, Bayern had turned the game around before the trip to Manchester.

07.04.2010: Manchester United 3-2 FC Bayern

It was perhaps the greatest goal in Robben’s impressive career. With Bayern 3-1 down, Ribery took a corner in the 74th minute, sending it deep to the edge of the box where the Dutchman was completely unmarked. With no hesitation, Robben hit it on the volley, past defenders and attackers, into the far corner. To top it off, it proved to be the decisive goal. Although FCB had trailed 3-0 at half-time, they would bring it back to 3-2. Thanks to the 2-1 win in Munich, a defeat had rarely felt more like a victory as Bayern reached the Champions League semi-finals on away goals.

22.05.2010: FC Bayern – Inter Milan

Nine years after the celebrations at the San Siro, Bayern were again within touching distance of European glory. But it wasn’t to be. Despite controlling the play for long periods, FCB failed to convert chances into goals against Inter Milan’s defensive specialists. The Italians had a cool finisher on their side in Diego Milito, and it was his brace with goals in either half that settled the final in Madrid. Despite the defeat, coach Louis van Gaal had formed a young team into one of Europe’s best once again as they provided a clue as to where the journey would take them in the years ahead. Only three years later, Bayern would sit atop Europe’s peak once again.