"The passion, the bite and the energy needed to win games away from home were certainly not there," said boss Thomas Tuchel after the away game – in Frankfurt. Three days after the 5-1 defeat at Eintracht in the Bundesliga, when FCB lacked the footballing basics, the record champions showed a different face in the 1-0 away win at Manchester United in the Champions League. They battled, threw themselves into the challenges, helped Manuel Neuer maintain a clean sheet and believed in victory right to the end, which Kingsley Coman secured with his goal in the 70th minute.
Two spectacular defensive actions by Minjae Kim – who, like his team-mate Dayot Upamecano, played very confidently – at the start of the second half when he gave Antony no chance (52') were symptomatic of this strong performance.
The team performance also enabled the six-time Champions League winners to extend a unique streak: After the gritty display at the Theatre of Dreams, FCB are now unbeaten in 40 group stage games in Europe's elite club competition (36 wins, four draws). A record, of course – like the nine consecutive away games won in the group stage.
Centre-forward Harry Kane, who returned to his home country on Tuesday evening following his move to Germany, was also delighted. "We wanted to show a lot more fight, passion and energy today and I think we did that," said the England captain, who acted as the first defender and press player against the ball and set up Coman with a clever assist for his goal. It was the 30-year-old's 30th goal involvement in his 20th competitive match this season (22 goals, eight assists). No player in Europe's top five leagues can surpass this figure!
Captain Manuel Neuer, who maintained order and calm from the back, led with his usual class and thwarted United's few goal opportunities, praised his team and referred once again to the defeat in Frankfurt: "We got the basics right today, unlike on Saturday. We learnt from our mistakes and showed the right reaction." Neuer had another reason to celebrate at the legendary Old Trafford: the number one made his 700th competitive appearance in professional football in Manchester (318 clean sheets).
„We always turn up and deliver in the Champions League, we showed that today. We passed the group stage with flying colours and are one of the clubs that have the ambition to win the Champions League.”
Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO
"We had very high levels of energy and intensity in the game. That's why we deserved to win," summarised a satisfied Thomas Tuchel. Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of FC Bayern, praised the team in his speech at the traditional post-match banquet: "A big compliment to the team. We always turn up and deliver in the Champions League, we showed that today. We passed the group stage with flying colours and are one of the clubs that have the ambition to win the Champions League."
The German record champions now want to continue with this attitude. The next match is scheduled for Sunday evening in the Bundesliga clash against third-placed VfB Stuttgart, before the focus turns to Europe's elite club competition for the last time in 2023 on Monday: the draw for the round of 16, and thus the upcoming opponents in the spring, will be made in Nyon. One thing is already clear: the opponents will face a Bayern team playing with full energy in order to travel to England at least once more in 2024. The Champions League final takes place at Wembley Stadium in London on 1 June.
Read the reaction to the win in Manchester:
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