Bayern Munich Eliminates Lyon to Reach the Champions League Finals

Bayern Munich defeated Lyon with 3-0 tonight, to reach its 11th Champions League finals. Hansi Flick’s team was very good, controlling the situation on the field and missing a couple of excellent chances, especially Robert Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic.

However, we need to say that unlike in the previous games, Bayern had a fortune on its side. Lyon failed to utilize numerous chances in this contest, and they did expose many flaws in the rival’s back line.

After four minutes Memphis Depay had an empty net after rounding rushed out Neuer, but the Dutch forward missed what might be the most significant goal in his career. Who knows how the game would develop if he made that shot.

“We were a bit lucky at the start, Manu saved well and then they hit the post. But fortunately, we took a 2-0 lead into the break before Lewy finished the job late on. Now we want to win the competition,” said the man of the match, Serge Gnabry, who scored two goals in the first half, in the 18th and 33rd minute.

⚽️ 23 goals
🅰️ 13 assists

Serge Gnabry's stats in all competitions this season are up there with Europe's finest players!

No wonder the guys in the studio are lauding his praise 🙌#Club2020 pic.twitter.com/NYCAtR5Nlm

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 19, 2020

The first one was a beauty, with the German forward rushing towards the box, then cutting outside going parallel with the box line, before smashing the ball into the high left corner of Lopes’ net.

A minute before that Toko Ekambi hit the post, and that was when luck happened to be with the five-time European champions.

Gnabry scored once more until the pause, this time from a nearby, running onto a deflected ball and placing it into the net from some three or four feet.

Even though some expected that Lyon might surrender, that wasn’t the case. Rudi Garcia’s side went out on the pitch strong in the second half, threatening Neuer constantly. They would expose the defense and allow the Germans to have space, but Flick’s crew couldn’t finish properly. All in all, Lyon played courageously and bravely, but they still feel disappointed because luck abandoned them when needed the most.

“Even if we can be proud of our run and the match we played today, of course, we’re disappointed. We didn’t have any luck at the start of the match because we had the two biggest chances,” said Lyon’s coach Garcia.

Lewandowski finally scored in the 83rd minute after several pretty surprising misses for him. It was the ninth straight game in the UCL in which the Polish striker put his name on the scoresheet. He has 15 goals right now, and with Gnabry’s 8, this duo has more hits than all the clubs except for PSG.

Serge Gnabry has been in fine form for Bayern Munich in this season's #UCL campaign with the winger scoring 9 goals in 9 matches 🤯

Watch live: https://t.co/RYwm9aZlb5 pic.twitter.com/JL1qIsWOMw

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 19, 2020

Bayern now meets PSG on Sunday. These two sides have been the most dominant in the competition, and according to many, this final could turn out to be the most efficient in the last few decades.

“We’re delighted to be in the final against Paris. We’ve fought so hard to reach another final, and of course, we want to win,” said Neuer after the game.

So far, Bayern won and lost five finals. Throughout the last decade, they appeared in three, losing to Inter in 2010 and against Chelsea in 2012. But the most recent one ended in their favor, in 2013 against Borussia Dortmund.

On the other hand, PSG never played the UCL finals, and they are after their first piece of silverware in this competition. Apart from UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, they haven’t won any major European trophies.