Bundesliga
Müller strikes late as Bayern hold Atletico
Thomas Müller came off the bench to win and convert a late penalty for Bayern Munich as they held Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday, preventing the Spanish side from booking their place in the knockout stages.
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Bayern Munich
Goals: 1-0 Joao Felix (26'), 1-1 Müller (pen. 86')
Bayern were already guaranteed their spot in the Last 16 as Group A winners, meaning coach Hansi Flick had the luxury of rotating his squad at the Wanda Metropolitano: Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka were rested, with Müller, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Benjamin Pavard on the bench. A much-changed line-up - including teenagers Jamal Musiala and Bright Arrey-Mbi - rather struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages, although Leroy Sane should have done better than blast over the bar after neat work from Douglas Costa. Atletico soon took control of proceedings and went ahead midway through the half, when Joao Felix stabbed home Marcos Llorente's cross at the near post. Musiala almost drilled in a world-class effort from outside the area after ghosting past Mario Hermoso, but the home side continued to enjoy the lion's share of the chances, and could have increased their lead by the break.
Diego Simeone's men picked up where they left off in the second half, with Felix and Yannick Carrasco going close, although Lucas Hernandez almost brought Bayern level against his former club, heading over from a corner. Flick made a triple substitution just after the hour mark, bringing on Müller, Gnabry and Chris Richards, and the tide soon began to turn in the visitors' favour. Müller went close on 74 minutes when Gnabry scooped a ball into the Atletico area, but home keeper Jan Oblak was able to clear the danger. With five minutes of normal time remaining, however, the Bayern No.25 was brought down inside by the area by substitute Felipe and the referee awarded a penalty. Müller dusted himself off and slammed it home, meaning that the reigning European champions remain unbeaten in this competition since a 3-1 loss to Liverpool in March 2019.
Match stats
- Bayern's 15-match winning run in the Champions League came to an end. The holders have only lost one of their last 26 European fixtures (W20, D5).
- Alaba made his 400th competitive outing for Bayern, while Arrey-Mbi made his senior debut for the club.
- Müller scored his 47th Champions League goal. That puts him one ahead of Filippo Inzaghi on the all-time list, and one behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andriy Shevchenko.
- Hernandez played more than 100 games with Atletico - winning a UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup along the way - before moving to the Allianz Arena last summer.
- Lewandowski scored his third Champions League goal of the season last time out to move level third in the competition’s all-time charts on 71 goals. Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are ahead of him.
Line-ups
Atletico: Oblak - Trippier, Savic, Gimenez (Felipe 68'), Hermoso - Llorente, Koke (c), Saul, Carrasco (Lodi 87') - Correa (Herrera 80'), Felix (Lemar 87')
Unused subs: Grbic, San Roman, Torreira, Saponjic, Vitolo, Carmello, Valera, Sanabria
Out: Costa (thrombosis), Herrera (hamstring), Kondogbia (not included), Suarez (not included), Vrsalko (knee)
Coach: Diego Simeone
Bayern: Nübel - Sarr (Richards 62'), Süle, Arrey-Mbi (Gnabry 61'), Hernandez – Martinez (Müller 62'), Alaba (c) – Sane, Musiala (Stiller 76'), Costa (Zirkzee 86') – Choupo-Moting
Unused subs: Schneller, Hoffmann, Pavard, Boateng, Coman, Zaiser
Out: Davies (ankle), Goretzka (rested), Kimmich (knee), Lewandowski (rested), Neuer (rested), Roca (suspended), Tolisso (knock)
Coach: Hansi Flick
As it happened!
1 - 1(1 - 0)
Atletico
FINAL
Bayern
vs
BAYERN RESCUE A POINT
Yes, Bayern's 15-game winning streak is over, but I suspect Hansi Flick will be pretty pleased with his side's performance tonight. His teen talents such as Arrey-Mbi and Musiala managed to keep Atletico within arm's reach, before the older and wiser heads got them back on terms late in the day. The next 15-game winning streak can start at home to Lokomotiv Moscow next week lads!
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FULL-TIME
It's all over! Even with half of their players rested and an experimental line-up, the European champions will leave the Spanish capital with a point, thanks to a penalty won and converted by substitute Thomas Müller. Remarkable!
90'
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47 NOT OUT FOR MÜLLER
That was Thomas Müller's 47th goal in the Champions League, putting him one ahead of Filippo Inzaghi on the all-time list. He's now one behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andriy Shevchenko, and three off Thierry Henry. Four minutes of time added on.
88'
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GREAT CHANCE!
Lemar whips in a brilliant free-kick from the right, but Hermoso can't keep his header down. It looks like Atletico are going to have to earn their qualification on their trip to Salzburg next week.
86'
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Joshua Zirkzee
Douglas Costa
86'
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BAYERN DRAW LEVEL!
Müller is tripped in the area by Felipe - the man who came on for the injured Gimenez - and takes it himself in the absence of Robert Lewandowski, slotting beyond the reach of Oblak into the corner. Bayern never know when they're beaten!
85'
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PENALTY TO BAYERN!
Well now.
83'
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GNABRY BLOCKED!
Some nice build-up play from Bayern down the right and Müller keeps it alive, but Gnabry's powerful effort is blocked. Atletico aren't home and dry just yet...
83'
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AS IT STANDS
With 12 points, Bayern are already through as Group A winners. Salzburg beat Lokomotiv Moscow 3-1 earlier tonight, but they need the Bundesliga champions to do them a favour in the closing stages. If Atletico win, they will be guaranteed to finish second in the group.
81'
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BAYERN PUSHING
The visitors are exerting greater pressure as they go in search of an equaliser, although that is giving Atletico some opportunities on the counter. Around 10 minutes to go.
77'
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STILLER ON FOR MUSIALA
Musiala makes way after showing some really nice flashes of what he can do tonight. He's replaced by Munich-born Angelo Stiller, a 19-year-old midfielder who is also on for his Champions League debut.
76'
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Angelo Stiller
Jamal Musiala
74'
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MÜLLER GOES CLOSE!
Gnabry scoops a dangerous ball back into the Atletico area following a corner, but the Bayern No.25 can't quite get a touch before Oblak clears the danger. The hosts break on the counter but it comes to nothing. Bayern starting to enjoy a bit more possession now.
70'
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TACTICAL TWEAK FOR BAYERN
The visitors now looking to be playing in a 4-3-3, with Sane, Musiala and Gnabry in midfield, then Choupo-Moting, Müller and Douglas Costa in attack. The positioning looks pretty fluid though. Alaba has returned to central defence alongside Süle.
68'
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GIMENEZ RECEIVING TREATMENT
The Atletico centre-back has taken a knock and has to go off.
65'
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CLOSE AGAIN!
Another dangerous ball across the Bayern six-yard box, but there's nobody to stick it away for the home side.
63'
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TRIPLE SUBSTITUTION FOR BAYERN
Off go Arrey-Mbi, Sarr and Martinez, on come Gnabry, Richards and Müller.
62'
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Thomas Müller
Javi Martinez
62'
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Chris Richards
Bouna Sarr
61'
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Serge Gnabry
Bright Arrey-Mbi
58'
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JOAO FELIX OFF THE BAR!
The Portuguese forward rattles the crossbar, but it wouldn't have counted - Correa fouled Hernandez in the build-up.
54'
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ATLETICO GO CLOSE
A nicely timed ball from Joao Felix for Carrasco, but there's nobody to meet the Belgian's ball across the six-yard box. About 30 seconds later, Süle gets across to block Correa - great defending!
51'
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HERNANDEZ!
The Frenchman is almost on target against his former club! A corner comes in and he heads just over the bar.
49'
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FELIX DENIED
Joao Felix really does have lovely footwork, but on this occasion he's dispossessed by Sarr in the Bayern penalty area. A pretty balanced opening to the second half.
46'
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SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
Off we go again. No changes at the break.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
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KIMMICH AND DAVIES
Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies are Bayern's two long-term absentees this term, but both men are now back in individual training. Bayern are hoping they will be available again in January.
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THAT XI AGAINST PSG
Neuer (c) - Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies - Goretzka, Thiago - Gnabry, Müller, Coman - Lewandowski. In case you were wondering.
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THE LONE LISBON SURVIVOR
Only one of the 11 men on the pitch for Bayern in the first half started the Champions League final against PSG last season: David Alaba. But we could see the likes of Gnabry, Müller and Coman getting involved off the bench in the second half.
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HALF-TIME
It was pretty much the half of football we expected, with a rather experimental Bayern unable to cause Atletico too many problems in their back yard. But there's only one goal in it at the interval!
0 - 0
Half-time
44'
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SARR BOOKED
For a rather reckless challenge on Carrasco. One minute of stoppage time to be played.
43'
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Bouna Sarr
43'
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CORREA OVER THE BAR
Another wasted chance for Atletico. Can Bayern make them pay for their profligacy?
41'
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NÜBEL, NEUER STYLE!
A loose ball into the Bayern half forces Alexander Nübel to come sprinting off his line and head away the danger. Manu will have enjoyed that one.
38'
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ALMOST 2-0
Atletico break with Joao Felix and Carrasco, whose ball into the area is picked up by Llorente - but the Spaniard blasts over the bar.
31'
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ALMOST A WORLDIE FROM MUSIALA!
How about that! Musiala picks up the ball inside the Atletico half, swivels and ghosts past Hermoso like he isn't there, before blasting high into the side netting. That wasn't far off the top corner at all! Great technique from the youngster.
29'
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ATLETICO IN CONTROL
Another chance for the Spanish side as Carrasco curls in a dangerous free-kick, but Nübel collects. Diego Simeone's side have to win tonight to qualify for the Last 16, remember, while Bayern are already through as group winners.
27'
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ATLETICO TAKE THE LEAD
From a throw-in on the right, Llorente gets to the byline and just about keeps the ball in play, crossing for Joao Felix to stab home at the near post. There was a quick check, but the ball didn't go out for a goal kick before it was played across.
23'
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CARRASCO HITS THE SIDE NETTING
Even closer for the hosts. A cheeky backheel from Joao Felix gives Carrasco a bit of space on the left, and he tries his luck from distance - but the effort is into the side netting.
22'
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GIMENEZ HEADS OVER
Carrasco whips in a corner from the right for Atletico, and centre-back Gimenez heads just over the bar.
19'
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SILKY SKILLS FROM SÜLE!
Outrageous tekkers from the Bayern centre-back as he skips past three Atletico players with some lovely footwork - even if he can't quite get the ball to Sane in the Atletico area. He'll be getting some banter for that in training later this week.