 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Photos from the match between Bayern Munich and Juventus played on Wednesday
Bayern Munich staged a sensational comeback, scoring twice in extra time after battling back from two goals down to beat Juventus 4-2 on Wednesday and march into the Champions League last eight with a 6-4 aggregate victory.
Thiago Alcantara drilled in after 108 minutes and Kingsley Coman curled in their fourth goal as Bayern, who needed a 90th-minute equaliser from Thomas Mueller to force extra time, finished stronger to keep up their treble hopes.
In a reverse of the first leg when Juve came back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2, Bayern dug deep to score twice in the second half.
"This was a game that affects your heart rate," said Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
"It was a very emotional game, a case of deja-vu but with a different outcome from the first leg. But it must be said that Juve are a bit unlucky to go out like that."
It was a bitter defeat for last season's runners-up Juve, who ran out of steam in extra time to leave domestic titles as their only potential silverware this season.
"It was a crazy game. Juve played well at the back and we let in two goals. That should never have happened," said Bayern scorer Mueller.
"Mentally it became a different game. But we said we can make it and we kept our cool."
It was the Bianconeri who drew first blood with Frenchman Pogba capitalising on a David Alaba mistake to beat Manuel Neuer.
Bayern, who had not let in a first-half goal in their previous seven games in the competition were rattled and keeper Neuer almost gifted Juve another after sending the ball straight to Alvaro Morata, whose looping effort was ruled offside.
Spaniard Morata, however, made a 40-metre run past four Bayern players to send Cuadrado through for their second goal.
Bayern showed the first signs of life just before the break when Mueller's effort was saved and the ball rolled narrowly wide from a Robert Lewandowski deflection.
Poland striker Lewandowski then launched the comeback, heading in at the far post for his eighth goal of the campaign in the 73rd minute, triggering a dramatic finale in which Mueller scored in almost identical fashion.
Substitute Thiago put Bayern ahead in extra time and Coman, on loan at Bayern from Juve, completed a memorable comeback as coach Pep Guardiola maintained his hopes of a Champions League title in his last season in Munich.
"Football results depend on chances," said Juve keeper Buffon.
"They attacked a lot in the second half and they took advantage of their chances. This is a defeat that should make us understand that we are better than last season. We are going out with our heads held high."
