Bayern play their second leg against FC Salzburg on Tuesday evening (kick-off 21:00 CET), needing a win to seal their place in the quarter-finals without the drama of a penalty shootout. With the away goals rule scrapped in the Champions League from the start of this season, Kingsley Coman’s last-minute equaliser in the first leg does not quite have the same significance as it would’ve done in previous years. A 0-0 draw would now not be enough for Bayern to progress. Thankfully, the German record champions have proven enough times in the past that they can handle this situation. The Champions League has been played in its current format with the round of 16 since 2003 – we look back at five memorable last 16 second legs.
07.03.2007: Makaay’s lightning start helps Bayern through against Real
After a 3-2 defeat in the first leg at Real Madrid, the Bavarians categorically needed a goal two weeks in Munich – but no one would’ve expected it to come as quickly as it did. Straight from Real’s kick-off, Hasan Salihamidžić won the ball and quickly played in Roy Makaay, who made it 1-0 after just 10.12 seconds – still the fastest goal in Champions League history. Lúcio scored Bayern’s second in the 67th minute, and despite a late Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty, Bayern went through to the quarter-finals on away goals.
10.03.2009: Bayern celebrate record win against Sporting
Following an emphatic 5-0 win away from home 13 days before, there was little doubt that the German record champions would reach the next round against Sporting Lisbon. But easing off is not something that’s done at FCB! The goals kept coming in the second leg as a brace from Lukas Podolski, an own goal from Ânderson Polga plus further strikes from Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mark van Bommel, Miroslav Klose and a first Champions League goal for a certain Thomas Müller made for a final score of 7-1 on the night and 12-1 on aggregate – the highest aggregate margin in Europe’s premier club competition to this day!
13.03.2012: Perfect response against Basel
Three weeks can feel like a very long time – especially when you’re desperate to make up for a slip-up. In late February 2012, Bayern suffered a 1-0 first-leg defeat at Swiss serial champions FC Basel, and already at the start of the knockout stages, their chances of reaching the final at their own stadium were under threat. The Munich men were having none of it, though, and produced a blistering attacking display in the second leg. Mario Gómez became the first Bayern player to score four times in a Champions League fixture, with Arjen Robben (2) and Müller also on the scoresheet in a 7-0 drubbing at the Allianz Arena, as Bayern delivered the perfect response to the first-leg loss.
16.03.2016: Müller’s last-minute equaliser against Juve
This was perhaps Bayern’s most exciting round of 16 second leg in the Champions League, and the only one that’s gone to 120 minutes. FCB had actually put themselves in a good position with a 2-2 draw against Juventus in the first leg in Turin, but the Italians started the return leg strongly and led 2-0 at half-time. Bayern were heading out, but naturally they didn’t give up. Robert Lewandowski reduced the deficit to one before Müller rescued his team in literally the last minute to send the tie into extra time, during which Thiago and Kingsley Coman, against his former club, sealed a place in the quarter-finals.
08.08.2020: August second leg against Chelsea
After beating Chelsea 3-0 in the last 16 first leg in London in late February 2020, Bayern had to wait exactly 165 days before they could finish the job. Coronavirus caused havoc with the Champions League schedule, but the wait was worth it. The Reds eased through 4-1 against the Blues in August 2020 thanks to a Lewandowski brace either side of goals from Ivan Perišić and Corentin Tolisso, going through to the one-off finals tournament in Lisbon. The rest is history…
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