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Joshua Kimmich header sent the German side through to the semi-finals for the first time since winning the Champions League in 2020.
Joshua Kimmich’s second-half header was enough to earn a 3-2 aggregate win against Arsenal and take Bayern München through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
After an even, attentive first half, the second leg burst into life two minutes after the restart. First Leon Goretzka headed onto the bar before Raphaël Guerreiro’s effort on the rebound was deflected onto the post. Suddenly, Bayern were in the ascendancy.
Midway through the second half, they were ahead as Kimmich met Guerreiro’s inviting cross with a firm diving header that gave David Raya no chance. Leroy Sané soon had a golden chance to double the lead, and though he blazed over, Arsenal could not muster an equaliser as Bayern contained them expertly.
It was not a bad way for Bayern to respond to losing their Bundesliga crown to Leverkusen on Sunday; next up, Real Madrid in the last four.
“Bayern’s goalscorer was very good on the ball throughout in Munich. He was also very defensively strong, marking Gabriel Martinelli out of the game.”
James Thorogood, a Bayern reporter, had this to say:
“Super Bayern, Super Bayern hey, hey!” sang the Fußball Arena München at full time. On a night where experience proved telling, Bayern’s big-game players underlined their quality as the German record title holders ended a three-year absence from the Champions League’s final four. Kimmich was the match winner to provide a perfect tonic in the midst of the Bavarians’ toughest season in over a decade.
Joe Terry, an Arsenal reporter, had this to say:
It was heartbreaking for Arsenal, who played so well over two legs against their vastly more experienced opponents and showed they more than deserved it at the sharp end of this tournament. Unfortunately, however, it wasn’t enough. It was clear this game was going to be decided on fine margins, and if you leave the kind of space they did for Kimmich’s goal, teams at this level will punish you. Mikel Arteta’s young squad will learn a lot from this and will be better for the experience.
Reaction
Thomas Tuchel, Bayern coach: “It was a chess game in the first half, nobody wanted to make the first mistake. Everyone played a bit safe. We encouraged the team at halftime to show a bit more personality, a bit more courage. We were more fluid and played a fantastic second half.”
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach: “We tried against a team that has a lot of experience. Throughout the tie, the margins were very small. There were moments when we were better, but we gave them two goals, and that’s a big advantage to give away.”
Harry Kane, Bayern forward: “Unbelievable win. It’s been a tough season for us and we’ve had to fight and grind at times. Today was just that – we knew it was going to be a tough game but also that at home we could make the difference with our fans there.”
Joshua Kimmich, Bayern defender: “It’s an amazing feeling to score such an important goal in front of our fans on a night like tonight. These are the moments you work for and we’ve worked hard for it.”
Source: UEFA.com
