Bayern ready for Celtic Champions League play-off after beating Werder Bremen

When, after just over 45 minutes, there was a sudden loud clatter, things turned up a notch rather quickly. Harry Kane had tried to take matters into his own hands with a right-footed shot from 20 yards. And after his shot thundered against the crossbar (and the Allianz Arena groundsman must have briefly feared for the shaking frame of the Bremen goal) Bayern's direction for the second half was set. No longer, as in the first half, pushing forwards inch by inch with a great deal of possession, deliberately and carefully in the direction of the well-guarded visitors' goal.

Munich had pinned their visitors back to such an extent that even centre-backs Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim were able to pass the ball to each other well inside Bremen's half. At one point, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer even moved up to the halfway line with the ball at his feet. But the decisive final impetus to score was missing. The state of siege almost resembled that of Alexander the Great's army at the gates of Tyre in 332 BC – the Phoenician city fell after seven months. But Bayern don't usually have that much time to score in a Bundesliga match. So, Kane brought out his catapult.

"It was all a bit more tense somehow," said board member for sport Max Eberl about the first 45 minutes. "We didn't get the tempo into the game. Bremen defended well. In the second half, we hit the crossbar straight away and put our opponents where we wanted them, in their own penalty area."

Bremen were now a few but crucial steps deeper and were increasingly in danger of not only having their woodwork rattled but also conceding sooner or later. And so it came to be. After a duel with the lively Kane, defender Anthony Jung handled the ball in the box. Referee Sören Storks pointed to the penalty spot. Kane converted flat and sharply into the bottom left corner, Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer – born in Munich, developed at Unterhaching – diving the wrong way just before the hour mark.

"I don't know anyone who converts penalties quite like he does"

“As a striker, I take the responsibility to make the decision and score to make it 1-0 to open the game up,” said Kane with relief. “I had a few other chances that might have gone my way if I'd been a bit more determined.” However, his powerful header from Sacha Boey's cross was a hair's breadth wide of the Bremen goal in the best chance of the first half.

Nevertheless, Kane followed this up with goal number 21 of the Bundesliga season – again from the penalty spot, again low and sharp into the left corner, again Zetterer going the wrong way. Goal 21 was an identical copy of number 20 and the 14th penalty that the Englishman has converted in the Bundesliga. "That's a quality he has. I don't know anyone who converts penalties quite like he does," praised Bayern president Herbert Hainer.

“I see what Harry does – not just in matches, but also in training. It's no coincidence. There's a lot of work behind it,” said Vincent Kompany about his match-winner. However, the head coach wanted to praise his attacker above all – like the whole team – for their focused defensive play: "We can look at five or six moments in which Harry even joined in the defence in our own half. That shows what he does for the team." A total of 12-0 for shots on target said it all. "In the first half, we managed to take the tempo out of the game time and again. In the second half, it was more of a one-sided affair," admitted Werder head coach Ole Werner, who was suspended and watched from the stands as his defence was breached three times.

Bayern's spirit reawakened

The lead awakened Bayern's sporit and ease in their play - the decisive ingredients for a deserved home win. Zetterer was able to fend off an Upamecano header with a lightning reflex, but the Bremen goalkeeper was powerless when Bayern’s substitutes made it 2-0. Kompany had introduced Leroy Sané less than 60 seconds earlier. After nice play between Kane and Jamal Musiala, Konrad Laimer crossed across goal to Sané, who only had to tap it in. “We stayed calm,” praised Kompany, “because we know that if we keep up the tempo and keep the pressure on the opposition, we'll find a way through at some point.” In terms of fluid play, it was the best of the game.

And so, with the final whistle, all eyes were already on next week with two difficult away games in the Champions League in the play-off first leg at Celtic on Wednesday evening and at closest Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. “It’s crunch time now, we know that, We'll do everything we can to be successful,” captain Neuer summarised. Joshua Kimmich added: "Now we'll take care of ourselves a bit and then look forward to the game. It will be a very crucial, very special week for us." Everyone is looking forward to the atmosphere in Glasgow, said Aleksandar Pavlović: “But I'm not intimidated.” Nor does anyone need to be, as the 3-0 win against Bremen was the seventh Bundesliga victory in a row – “an expression of quality and strength’” as Eberl emphasised.

Courage and confidence

"It's a good feeling to be travelling to Glasgow and then to Leverkusen like this. I'm firmly convinced that the team knows what it's about," said president Hainer confidently. "The victories give us courage and confidence for the games in Glasgow and Leverkusen.” Hopefully the woodwork and net are equally tested when Bayern play away from home in the coming weeks.

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