They sink to the ground, hug each other and lift their arms high into the clear night sky above the Allianz Arena. After the final whistle, the tension fell away and the joy of the moment was palpable in our players. What a feeling.
"Super Bayern! Super Bayern!" could be heard from the stands. Later, there were pictures of a spirited dressing room party.
Arsenal, Premier League title contenders, were outran, outplayed and ultimately defeated. This magnificent run in the Champions League continues, and our next stop after a four-year wait is: THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS!
Real Madrid, who beat Manchester City on penalties, will be waiting. No doubt we’re in for a cracker.
A complete performance was needed against Arsenal - and how FC Bayern delivered. A 1-0 win in the quarter-final second leg sealed the deal (agg. 3-2).
"That was outstanding! The second half was very positive, we had dangerous attacks and could have scored even more goals. The bottom line is that we deserve to go through," said a delighted Joshua Kimmich.
He was the scorer of the decisive goal in the 63rd minute. The way he headed in a wonderful cross from Raphaël Guerreiro was symptomatic of what characterized FCB against Arsenal across both legs: courage, power, pace and determination. "We're delighted to have made it to the semi-finals," added Kimmich.
Neuer praises the atmosphere in the stands
Our beloved FC Bayern have now reached the semi-finals of the Champions League 13 times - incidentally, only Real Madrid have managed to do so more often since the competition was founded. "That’s a good one to hear. The discipline we showed out there was crucial," said captain Manuel Neuer.
It was his 23rd career appearance in a CL quarter-final - a feat matched by no one bar him. Thanks in part to Neuer's charisma and experience, FCB looked compact and confident against Arsenal. "Tonight we needed the fans and they really delivered. These are special evenings," added Neuer. A real unity was created among the passionate fans, coming together to really get behind the team. The Allianz Arena became a fortress.
Coach Thomas Tuchel's line-up also proved to be right on the money. With Noussair Mazraoui and Guerreiro on the left flank, Bukayo Saka was virtually shut out, while Konrad Laimer allowed Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard no space at all. The Gunners were literally robbed of their attacking threat. There were no big chances for Arsenal.
"We knew that it would only be possible with a really cohesive team performance. I'm proud of the team," said Tuchel.
Next up: Real
The journey continues - the next stop is just around the corner. The first leg against Real Madrid will take place in Munich on 30 April, with the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on 8 May.
Borussia Dortmund will face Paris Saint-Germain in the other semi-final tie. The final is scheduled for 1 June at Wembley. Will there be a 2012/13 rematch with BVB? "I wouldn't mind it," said Neuer, certainly not alone in this opinion. But he also knows: "We have to do our homework first."
The triumph over Arsenal was an important step, the next one will be even more challenging.
But anyone who experienced the atmosphere, the energy and the passion that prevailed at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday can only look to the future with anticipation. "It's not just in the Champions League. We face a tough challenge in Berlin on Saturday, so there's no way we’re giving up on the rest of the season."
There's still a way to go. Let's do this!
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