Bayern Munich vs Porto: The reasons why Bayern can overturn their 3-1 deficit and reach the Champions League semi-finals
Bayern must overturn a 3-1 deficit against Porto if they are to feature in Friday's semi-final draw
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Your support makes all the difference.Bayern Munich face the realistic proposition of missing out on the Champions League final for the second year in succession unless they can overturn the 3-1 deficit that they currently trail Porto by.
Bayern went into the Champions League quarter-final tie as heavy favourites to emerge unscathed, but were shocked on their travels to Portugal last week when former Chelsea winger Ricardo Quaresma scored twice to put the German heavyweights on the brink of elimination.
Since winning the Champions League in 2012/13 where they beat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, Bayern have seen a change of manager provide a difference in results on the European stage, with Pep Guardiola so far unable to repeat Jupp Heynckes’s success with the Bavarian club.
But write Bayern off at your peril. It’s worth remembering that the Bundesliga side have a proven pedigree that should not be doubted, and means that they can easily overturn the deficit and book their place in Friday’s semi-final draw.
THE PEP EFFECT
Pep Guardiola’s record goes before him, and when his back is against the wall – especially given last week’s event at Bayern – the former Barcelona midfielder usually comes through in flying colours. Guardiola is the man widely credited as the father of the tiki-taka style that Barcelona utlisied to full effect before his departure from the Catalan club.
While Guardiola bemoaned his current lack of options due to injuries, which ultimately led to the shock exit of veteran club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, he’s built a hugely talented squad in Munich for this very reason. Thiago Alcantara is back on the road to full fitness following his disastrous run with injuries, and while the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are absent with ankle and abdominal muscle injuries respectively, they should have World Cup winners Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger available.
THE AWAY GOAL
How often has the away goal come to the rescue of teams in Europe? It helped Chelsea through to the semi-finals last season against PSG, and put paid to their hopes this time around against the same opposition. But the crucial thing for Bayern is that Thiago’s 27th-minute goal gives them hope of clawing their way back into the tie.
Should Bayern utilise their home advantage at the Allianz Arena and secure a 2-0 victory, they’re be on their way to the semi-finals. What they can’t afford to do is concede another goal, but given that they have conceded just two goals in their last six games back in Germany, a clean sheet shouldn’t be the hardest job to pull off.
PORTO REMAIN INEXPERIENCED AT THIS LEVEL
This Porto side is completely changed from that of Jose Mourinho’s chargers in 2004 that secured the Champions League title, and while they may actually be a better side than their predecessors of over a decade ago, they have not been this far in the Champions League before. They also haven’t been significantly tested beyond the first leg against Bayern, having played Lille, BATE Borisov and Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stages before seeing off FC Basle in the last-16.
If Bayern can get on top of them from the kick-off and find an early goal, there’s every suggestion that the Portuguese side could wilt under the pressure of such a big occasion. Should they do so, the game will be there for the taking for Bayern.
THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEUER’S LUCKY ESCAPE
Truth be told, Manuel Neuer is lucky to be playing in the match. The Germany goalkeeper was given a huge let-off when he was shown a yellow card for bringing down Porto striker Jackson Martinez in the penalty area during the first leg. While Martinez had taken the ball away from goal, there was every inclination that he could tuck the ball home, and while Quaresma stepped up to convert the ensuing penalty, Neuer found himself booked rather than dismissed. Had the goalkeeper been shown a straight red card, he would have been suspended for the second leg and Pepe Reina would be marshalling the sticks later tonight – by no means a slant on Reina’s abilities, but he’s no Neuer, is he?
With the 29-year-old available to feature, he needs to take full advantage of his reprieve and put in the performance of his life to keep Bayern in the hunt. Should they concede, they might as well call it there and then.
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