The action was intense: Whether in the evenly-matched first half or in the ferocious final few minutes, Bayern once again set off a firework of goals in Lisbon - scoring four times in the second-half and deploying great pace to secure a 4-0 victory in the Champions League over hosts Benfica. Three players who stand for speed in the UCL's best attacking team (12 goals from three games) are Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry. The three wingers reaffirmed this at the Estadio da Luz.
Outstanding Sané
Two goals, the most shots (six), the most shots on goal (two), the most shots inside the penalty area (three), a wonderful free-kick for the all-important opener and a multitude of successful actions - Leroy Sané once again stood out from a convincing Bayern group. The 25-year-old reaffirmed his impressive form of recent weeks, creating many chances - such as a shot after 38 minutes - and also set up Robert Lewandowski for the third Bayern goal (82'). "We played a very, very good game," the brace scorer said. "I'm very happy with the performance today."
Man of the Match Coman
"I feel very good and I'm happy to be back on the pitch," said a delighted Kingsley Coman after his swashbuckling return to the starting eleven after more than a month off due to heart problems. The winger on the opposite side to Sané raced up and down the left in Lisbon - where he scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against PSG in August 2020 - in the second half in particular and transfixed opponents in one-on-one situations. One example: no player on the pitch had more than his eight ball actions in an opponent's penalty area. Mr. Lisbon almost grabbed a pair of assists (42', 51), but both goals were reviewed and subsequently disallowed. In the end, the speedster still got his reward - winning the "Man of the Match" award.
Gnabry: First a right-back, then provider
The third winger, Serge Gnabry, also shone on this successful autumn evening on the Portuguese coast, initially in an unfamiliar role: After 66 minutes, the 26-year-old came on for right-back Benjamin Pavard and played ten minutes in Pavard's vacated position. After his colleagues' superb performances, Gnabry, who was then moved forward after Josip Stanišić's came on, took the opportunity with both hands and provoked Éverton's own goal with a pinpoint cross.
Manuel Neuer also stood out once again in Lisbon👇
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