FC Bayern will face record winners Real Madrid in the round of the last four, as they did in the semi-finals in 2018.
Munich - It took a long time on Wednesday evening before FC Bayern's dressing room party broke up - and there were several reasons for this. On the one hand, there were the emotions that fell somewhere between “electrified” (Leon Goretzka) and “ecstatic” (Max Eberl) after the 1-0 (0-0) win against Arsenal FC and the deserved entry into the Champions League semi-finals were.
And there were these televisions that showed what was happening around 1,100 kilometers from the Allianz Arena. A murmur could be heard again and again from the Bayern wing as Man City and Real Madrid dueled in the penalty shootout. When Antonio Rüdiger's last goal was scored, there was finally clarity - coupled with great anticipation.
Tuchel is looking forward to the semi-final against Real Madrid: “There is a huge incentive”
The premier class record winner will be like the last time in the semi-finals in 2018. The fact that it was the final destination at that time was of no concern to Bayern in their rush of luck after their first entry into the semi-finals since the 2020 title, nor was the fact that Real is actually having a significantly better season than themselves. “There is a huge incentive there,” said coach Thomas Tuchel, who was the first German to lead three different clubs to the semi-finals.
Since Wednesday and the “deserved victory” (President Herbert Hainer), there has been a strong belief that the duels on April 30th in Munich and May 8th in Madrid will not be over yet. The word “Wembley” was mentioned by everyone on Thursday night. The dream of a new edition of the 2013 German-German final is alive.
Tuchel: “We will do everything we can to end the season at Wembley”
“I would like that, I would take it like that,” said goalscorer Joshua Kimmich with a view to the final on June 1st at the site of the big triple triumph. The 29-year-old declared the victory, which, according to President Herbert Hainer, “no one believed Bayern could achieve,” as a matter for the boss and, with his header in the 64th minute in a tactical game, created the “positive feeling” that this season of chaos has had should now bring a happy ending.
There was no talk of crisis or upheaval on Wednesday. On the contrary. Tuchel announced: “We will do everything we can to end the season at Wembley.” And Eberl added: “A lot is possible.”
Tuchel is more exuberant in the Bayern dressing room than ever before
The sports director (“I was very nervous”) was relieved, and the coach was more exuberant in the dressing room than ever before in the past 13 months. Tuchel also received the support he had missed for a long time. Hainer, for example, spoke of a “tactical masterpiece” by the 50-year-old, even though Bayern had concentrated on defense and had not shown anything like the “Mia san mia” of past premier class triumphs.
Eberl called the approach “simply clever,” and the result spoke for itself. The next role model is now RB Leipzig, which held Real to a 1-1 draw in the round of 16 and was narrowly eliminated 0-1 in the second leg. Eberl is sure: “If we use the chances that RB had, we have the chance to advance.” If we succeed, anything is possible.
Bayern's task in the league
The task in the league will now be to keep the tension high. But the focus is already on April 30th. One hopes for some returnees, with Serge Gnabry the chances are good. And Tuchel also has his own balance sheet in mind.
There are at least seven, hopefully eight games left for him on the sidelines. And if you believe Harry Kane, the team will “be behind Thomas as long as he’s here”. You haven't often seen him as excited and happy as he was on Wednesday. But you would like to do it one, two, three more times.
Hanna Raif, Manuel Bonke, Philipp Kessler