Champions League

FANS have hailed Thomas Tuchel’s tactical tweak that “took Bukayo Saka out of the game” against Arsenal.The German coach masterminded Bayern Munich’s 1-0 triumph over the Gunners at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.Bukayo Saka endured a frustrating night against Bayern MunichCredit: AFPJoshua Kimmich scored the only goal of the game to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory and set-up a Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid, who beat holders Man City on penalties.Arsenal barely laid a glove on Bayern throughout the second leg and their talisman Saka was subdued throughout.His stats made for grim reading afterwards as he failed to register a shot, create a chance, complete any dribbles and also registered zero accurate crosses.We revealed earlier how Tuchel, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021, was planning to spring a tactical surprise.READ MORE ON ARSENALWith regular full-back Alphonso Davies suspended, one of either Noussair Mazraoui or Raphael Guerreiro was expected to replace him.However, Bayern’s pre-match training saw the pair both feature as Tuchel plotted a way to stop Saka from being Arsenal’s main driving force.And the 50-year-old coach followed through with that idea by starting the pair as they doubled up on the danger man.It was Mazraoui that played at left-back with Guerreiro playing higher up, offering him protection from midfield.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAnd the plan could not have worked out any better – and supporters were quick to praise Tuchel afterwards.One wrote on X: “People saying Saka ghosted didn’t watch the game. Tuchel took Saka out of the game with his tactics.”Arsenal’s top targets in the summer transfer windowA second post read: “After seeing what Saka did with Alphonso Davies, Tuchel decided to pin him with 2 LBs and Mazraoui absolutely did that job well.”A third fan said: “Thomas Tuchel masterclass – kept Saka quiet and in turn Arsenal quiet.”“Tuchel did his homework on Saka,” claimed another one.A fifth wrote: “Guerreiro and Mazraoui absolutely locked up Saka this game. Seen nothing from him at all.”While a sixth added: “Thomas Tuchel with a tactical masterclass today starting two full-backs on the left wing to keep Bukayo Saka locked down.“Through 75 minutes, Saka has 0 shots and 0 chances created. Just 19 accurate passes & 32 total touches…”Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted afterwards that his side missed a moment of magic: “Yes. Had to be. A mistake from them or a magic moment, that is what unlocks the tie.“We didn’t manage to win it at the end and we could have won. At moment we were better than them and had a lot of moments of dominance.“That spark around the box is what you need in these ties to get the victory.”He added: “The club has been without Champions League football for seven years.“The first time you want to be in it, then you want to be in the semi-finals and finals.“We all want it so badly, but you see in many other clubs it takes six, seven years to get to that stage. But we were very close, that is the reality.”Meanwhile, Arsenal legend Martin Keown told TNT Sports: “Hugely disappointing. Just feel as though we didn’t really lay a glove on them in this second tie.“It was there if we wanted it and Bayern came out with the resolve, direct, and posed much more of a threat than Arsenal did.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I think the cautiousness of the game really helped Bayern to sort of, ‘okay, let’s change gear in the second half,’ and Arsenal never really did that. They contained Arsenal. “It was just such a flat performance.”Thomas Tuchel’s decision to play the two men worked wondersCredit: Getty More

ANTONIO RUDIGER struck the winning penalty to leave Manchester City’s bid for another treble in tatters.The Spanish giants spent much of the night camped in their own half in another gripping clash with their rivals.Real Madrid knocked Man City out of the Champions League on penaltiesCredit: ReutersIt was heartbreak for City as their dreams of a second successive Treble endedCredit: ReutersPep Guardiola had talked before the game on whether he was going to take a gamble on the fitness of skipper Kyle Walker.The veteran has spent three-and-a-half weeks on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury on England.But he was missed in the first leg as his old sparring partner Vinicius Jr enjoyed too much space so the City boss decided to take the risk.It was September 2018 last time City lost a Champions League game at their fortress – a record for English clubs.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd you have to go back to November 2022 – before a ball had been kicked at the Qatar World Cup – for the last time anybody won here.So City would have hoped their thrilling draw in the Bernabeu eight days ago gave them the base to reach the semi-finals for a fourth straight time.Real Madrid though are not 14 time winners for nothing – they have made a habit of squeezing through in ties when they look doomed.And sure enough after a cagey start to the game, the visitors struck first.Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERJude Bellingham’s brilliant control and spin from Dani Carvajal’s pass opened things up and his pass sent Vinicius Jr away down the right.His low cross reached fellow Brazilian Rodrygo whose first effort was miraculously saved by another countryman Ederson.Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozersThe rebound fell kindly for him though and he made no mistake in slamming it home at the second time of asking.It was the wide man who broke City hearts with two stoppage time goals in the Bernabeu two years ago – and here he was at it again.Just like in Spain eight days ago, City found themselves behind around the quarter hour mark – and with some serious work to do.They pushed hard for an equaliser as Bernardo Silva’s cross was headed over by Haaland.The Norwegian then looped a header on to the bar from a Kevin De Bruyne cross and Silva somehow bundled the rebound wide from close range.Madrid still looked a huge threat on the break though and Walker showed why his manager picked him by getting back to block an effort from Carvajal.Most of the chances were coming at the other end – even though Madrid were dealing with City’s threat well.Andriy Lunin made a spectacular stop to deny De Bruyne while Jack Grealish saw his low effort deflected past the post.The Three Lions ace was catching the eye for City and it needed a perfectly timed last ditch tackle from Antonio Rudiger to direct his effort into the side netting.Unlike Phil Foden on the other wing, Grealish was seeing plenty of the ball and he drew a foul from Carvajal which earned the veteran Spaniard a second yellow card.The second half began in a similar way.Lunin was also called into action soon after the re-start to keep out long range efforts from Grealish and Phil Foden.Rodrygo put Real ahead at the EtihadCredit: PAThe winger gave the visitors a huge boostCredit: PANacho pushed the ball past his own keeper then had to desperately clear off his own line under pressure from Haaland.It was beginning to look like it was not going to be City’s night.A pre-match display in the stands depicted Foden at the wheel of a bus bound for Wembley. It felt like Madrid had brought one of their own to the Etihad – and parked it.But Guardiola made a change by throwing on Jeremy Doku in place of Grealish – and it paid dividends as he ran at Carvajal – who was on a tightrope with a yellow card.His low cross was blocked by Rudiger but only into the path of De Bruyne who fired into the roof of the net from a narrow angle.While City had not been at their best, the equaliser was the least they deserved.Kevin de Bruyne levelled in the second halfCredit: AFPThe goal took the game to extra timeCredit: ReutersNow Madrid were hanging on and KDB could have won it when he somehow slammed a cross from Akanji over the bar. By his standards, it was a sitter.Extra time saw Foden unable to sort his dazzling feet out in time to get a decent connection on Doku’s low cross.And at the other end, Walker once again showed he had Vinicius in his pocket by giving the Brazilian flyer a head start and then catching him in the box.Madrid were finally posing an attacking threat though and Rudiger scooped a shot over the bar from six yards after a rare slip by Akanji.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn the shoot-out, City were briefly ahead as Ederson saved from Luka Modric – but Lunin did the same from both Bernardo and sub Kovacic.Even though Foden and Ederson himself scored their kicks, the Brazilian keeper could not get to Rudiger’s kick and City were out.Mateo Kovacic missed his penalty in the shootout alongside Bernardo SilvaCredit: ReutersAntonio Rudiger netted the winning penaltyCredit: AP More

ON a brass-monkeys night in Bavaria, Arsenal froze and exited the Champions League as a deep chill swept through their promising season.A bullet header from Josh Kimmich was enough to send Harry Kane and his Bayern Munich mates through to the semi-finals at the expense of Mikel Arteta’s side.Arsenal have been dumped out of the Champions LeagueCredit: GettyHarry Kane’s Bayern Munich have secured their spot in the semisCredit: RexJoshua Kimmich celebrates after breaking the deadlock against ArsenalCredit: GettyHe raced through three Gunners defenders to head home on 63 minutesCredit: ReutersSunday’s home defeat by Aston Villa saw the Gunners cede advantage in a gripping Premier League title race and four days later arrived this even more serious blow.And however much Arteta has transformed this club in the past few seasons, this was as a case of ‘same old Arsenal’. It was the fifth time in the club’s last six Champions League campaigns that they have been knocked out by Bayern. Here, Arsenal were assured on the ball but lacking in penetration. READ MORE ON ARSENALThey did not force a single clear scoring opportunity until a vain late rally in the final minutes.   There will be stronger calls now for an authentic centre-forward to be signed in the summer because this is a team which lacks little else.Just like Villa, it was another case of Arsenal coming up marginally short against quality opposition. It wasn’t a choke, it was a decent effort from a group of players in their first Champions League campaign together.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAnd this is a competition which demands experience and nous. Clubs normally have to knock on the door for a good few years before they reach a final, let alone lift Old Big Ears.  Arsenal played in green and, at elite European level, they are green.Hollywood superstar interrupts interview to reveal she is Arsenal fan as supporters boast ‘we are gargantuan’ For England captain Kane, and his former Tottenham team-mate Eric Dier, this kept alive hopes of silverware in their maiden campaign as Bayern players and also gave their old club’s rivals a welcoming kick in the knackers. Yet it didn’t help Tottenham’s chances of reaching the Champions League next season. Germany and England have been vying for a fifth entry into a competition which will be revamped next season and the Germans now hold a clear advantage, meaning Spurs will surely need to finish fourth to qualify. Bayern deserved their win, though. They shaded last week’s 2-2 draw at the Emirates and they hit the woodwork twice before Kimmich’s winner. Kane was quiet, well-shackled by William Saliba, but he can still dream of a place in the Wembley final on June 1. This Arsenal side is so accomplished at rolling over lesser sides in the Premier League. But to defeat the very best, they need greater attacking threat. They need a predator to kill off the opposition in tight, tense encounters such as this. Arsenal had been gubbed 5-1 on the previous two visits here and many supporters still have nightmares about this intimidating spaceship sponsored by an insurance company.But that was a different Arsenal, the flimsy Arsenal of Arsene Wenger’s latter years.The Gooners up in the nosebleed seats were making plenty of racket, fortified against the last icy blasts of Alpine winter by copious local beer.And if anything there was even more pressure on Bayern than Arsenal. While Arteta’s men are still in the Premier League title race, Bayern had conceded the Bundesliga crown to Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend and were staring down the barrel at the unthinkable scenario of a season without a trophy. Thomas Tuchel is on his way this summer and a rebuild is in the offing. Arteta restored Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli to his forward line-up but neither really bared their teeth, while Bukayo Saka was frustrating and, ultimately, frustrated on the right. At kick-off, the Allianz was an assault on the senses – they played through an acrid pyrotechnic fog with Bavarian chanting and drumming clattering at their eardrums. It was cagey, respectful, low-tempo stuff with Arsenal unflustered.Bayern were denied twice by the post in the first halfCredit: ReutersHARRY KANEHere’s what Bayern’s English star told TNT Sports afterwards:

“Yeah an unbelievable win. It’s been a tough season for us. We’ve had to fight and grind it out at times.
“We knew we could make the difference with our fans at home. It was a tough game, a tight game. It was a great goal from Josh [Kimmich].
“To reach the semi-finals is a great achievement for us and we can enjoy it.
“I think in these types of games the first half is always a bit cagey. We said at half-time we wanted to up the tempo, be aggressive. We had a couple off the post and could have made it easier for ourselves but these games are always tough and you just have to get through them.
“The expectation here is to try and win the Champions League. We won the league for 11 years in a row so maybe there was a bit of tempo missing. That can’t happen.
“Now we have to enjoy the Champions League and try to get ready for Saturday.”

Occasionally, though Leroy Sane would hare past Tomiyasu and midway through the half, Bayern found some joy on the left, Raphael Guerriero darting through and feeding full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who shot narrowly wide across goal.Soon, David Raya clawed away a Jamal Musiala shot but Arsenal swiftly tested Bayern’s keeper, Manuel Neuer keeping out a deflected Martin Odegaard effort and a Martinelli shot.Arsenal were having some success by pressing Bayern, snapping at their ankles as they tried to play out from the back, but when they won possession the final ball was never right. Straight after the interval, Bayern were at Arsenal’s throats – striking the woodwork twice.First Leon Goretzka’s header crashed against the post, then Guerriero’s shot was deflected onto the same upright by Ben White. It was a severe warning to Arsenal but they didn’t heed it and, on 63 minutes, the Germans seized the lead. It was a frustrating night for Bukayo Saka and the GunnersCredit: AFPMikel Arteta’s men barely laid a glove on the German giantsCredit: GettyEx-Spurs star Eric Dier celebrates with Manuel Neuer after the full-time whistleCredit: APRaya had flapped at a cross from the right and then Guerreiro delivered one from the left with full-back Kimmich escaping the attentions of Martinelli to score with a stooping header. Arsenal had conceded twice in quick succession in the home leg, then again against Villa, and they almost did so again. Guerreiro, a proper menace, cut back low but Sane blazed his shot miles over when he could have put the tie to bed. Arsenal attacked throughout injury-time but they never looked like scoring. READ MORE SUN STORIESIn truth, they didn’t look like scoring all night. They didn’t lack bottle, they simply lacked punch. More