The Germans Are Waiting
Bayern Munich booked a place in club football’s biggest match after brushing aside Lyon by four goals over two aberrantly one-sided legs.
Ivica Olic’s hat-trick in the second leg was the first at the UEFA Champions League semi-final stage since Alessandro Del Piero pulled off the feat for Juventus back in 1998.
The Germans were simply too strong for Claude Puel’s men. Louis van Gaal has crafted a well-disciplined outfit that is steady at the back and absolutely lethal going forward.
How do you deal with the tenacious Olic up front supported by the breakneck speed and trickery of Arjen Robben?
This awesome duo themselves are backed up by the creativity and passing prowess of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller and Philipp Lahm.
And for good measure, Franck Ribery, Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose also fit into an attack that has gone under the radar throughout the competition as the world swoons over Lionel Messi and friends.
Lyon, like Manchester United before them, had no answer to the multi-faceted attacking play of the Bavarians. You knew there was going to be trouble when Jean-Alain Boumsong found himself in the starting lineup.
Cris’ sending off in the second half was hardly an excuse for the French’s side meek display. The tie was over by then as Olic’s first half strike gave his team the all-important away goal.
Lyon were exploited by Robben’s mazy runs and Schweinsteiger’s knack for threading exquisite passes. Defending like their eyes were still covered by volcanic ash, it was no surprise that Olic doubled the Germans’ lead from a fine reverse pass by Hamit Altintop.
The Croatian forward’s header towards the end to seal his hat-trick was the icing on the cake for Bayern and pie on the face for Lyon.
Van Gaal now leads his club to their first UEFA Champions League final since 2001 when they emerged victorious in penalties over Valencia.
After the heartbreak of losing in injury time at the Nou Camp in the 1999 final, they will be hoping for a reversal of fortunes at Spain’s other historic venue, the Santiago Bernabeu.
Robben has a point to prove at the stadium of his former employers, Real Madrid, who he claimed had forced him into leaving after the arrivals of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.
It’s refreshing to see a side not listed amongst the top five favourites at the start of the competition make it all the way to the end.
The Bavarians are now one step away from reclaiming their place alongside Europe’s crème de la crème. Excuse the French, for the Germans are here.
No trackbacks yet.