All you need to know in 60 seconds …
Liverpool and Bayern head to Munich with their round of 16 tie in the balance after a goalless first leg at Anfield.
The hosts were on top in the first half and typically threatening in transition, but Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Joël Matip all spurned chances. Last season’s finalists did not have it all their own way, though, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker making a smart early save from Matip’s miscued clearance.
If Liverpool were the better side in the opening 45 minutes, then Bayern were in charge after the interval, stand-in centre-back Fabinho blocking well from Robert Lewandowski before Serge Gnabry sent his drive just over. As it was, though, neither team could land an early blow in a tie that looks likely to go right to the wire.
View from the stadium: Matthew Howarth
A goalless draw at home in the knockout stage is hardly the worst result, but had Liverpool taken one of several gilt-edged first-half opportunities they would be travelling to Munich on 13 March with a slender lead. The hosts succeeded in keeping Lewandowski and his colleagues at bay, though, and with Virgil van Dijk available for the return leg the Reds will still fancy their chances of reaching the quarter-finals.
Man of the match: Thiago Alcántara
Thiago Alcántara made the strongest impression in a disciplined Bayern performance. He tidied up in front of the back four and his composure on the ball allowed his side to catch a breath when needed. This was an experienced showing from the Spaniard, helping to secure a positive result ahead of the return.
Key stats
- Bayern right-back Joshua Kimmich will miss the second leg after his first-half booking.
- The last three Anfield encounters between Liverpool and Bayern have ended goalless.
- Liverpool remain unbeaten at home to German clubs (W14 D4).
- This is just the second time Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool have failed to score at Anfield in a UEFA fixture (W13 D4).
- This is also the second time Liverpool have failed to score at Anfield in their last 20 UEFA Champions League matches – the other was in last season’s round of 16 against Porto.
- Bayern are now unbeaten away from home in the UEFA Champions League since September 2017 (W6 D3).
What does it mean?
Liverpool are undefeated in their previous four trips to Germany (W2 D2), although Klopp in particular knows that a visit to Munich is one of the toughest assignments in European football – only Real Madrid have beaten the Bavarians on home turf in the last two seasons. Bolstered by that record, Niko Kovač’s men will be confident of progress in front of their own fans, even against a Liverpool side that scored nine goals on their knockout travels last term.
What’s next?
Level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, Liverpool can claim first place outright with a win or draw away to longstanding rivals Manchester United this weekend (24/02). The Reds then host Watford (27/02) and visit Everton (03/03) and Burnley (10/03) prior to the second leg (13/03).
Bayern continue their pursuit of a seventh successive domestic title against Hertha Berlin this weekend (23/02). The Bavarians then go to bogey team Borussia Mönchengladbach (02/03) and entertain Wolfsburg (09/03) before Liverpool come calling (13/03).
Be the first to comment