As the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals came around the corner, Bayern Munich was looking to commence a glorious comeback after to Villarreal 1-0 in the first leg. In the build-up to this game, it was evident that this matchup was going to be a close one after Bayern were barely able to squeak three points passed FC Augsburg at the weekend.
After failing to score the second crucial goal they needed today, Bayern Munich were officially knocked out of the Champions League from a late Villarreal goal. Here are the top three performers from Bayern’s lackluster 1-1 draw against Villarreal.
Lucas Hernandez
Defensively, Lucas Hernandez was the best player on the field. In fact, the equaliser from Villarreal was after he was subbed off in the 87th minute. That says a lot in itself. The highlight of Hernandez’s game was around the 70th minute when he vitally intercepted a cross that sliced right in front of the goal. If it weren’t for that, Villarreal would have equalized much sooner.
Not only was his defensive positioning on point, Hernandez also had a massive influence in the attack, especially in the first half when he found himself charging up the left side quite often. Overall, Lucas Hernandez had about as good of a performance as he could.
Jamal Musiala
Even though he didn’t have much of a direct influence on the score-line, Jamal Musiala’s presence on the field was the most crucial. It was clear that his energy today gave the rest of the Bayern side life. There wasn’t a loose ball that Musiala wasn’t chasing down. When everyone else had given up on the play, he was out there trying his hardest to get the ball back.
Along with bringing tenacity and intensity to the team, Musiala had one of the best chances that didn’t end up in the back of the net. In the 28th minute, the youngster had a solid header which drew a great save from the Villarreal keeper.
Kingsley Coman
Without much debate, Kingsley Coman was the most dynamic player on the pitch. Run after run, Coman was charging up the left side delivering inch-perfect crosses all game long. Unfortunately, nobody was able to follow up and put them into the back of the net. With his runs, Coman displayed how truly magnificent his dribble skills are.
Across both halves, he could dribble right around Villarreal right-back Juan Foyth on about every run. Even with the team’s lackluster attack, Kingsley Coman still earned today’s Man of the Match.
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After a disappointing Champions League exit, Bayern Munich will be returning to Germany empty-handed. The German Giants will be looking to shake this defeat off in time for their Bundesliga matchup against Arminia Bielefeld on April 17.