Bayern bow out with heads held high

Despite a strong display in Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw away at Inter, Bayern’s Champions League quest is over following a 4-3 aggregate defeat. Harry Kane put Bayern in front after the restart, but Lautaro Martínez and Benjamin Pavard struck for Inter. Eric Dier netted for Munich, who went looking to equalise on aggregate, but the burden of last week’s 2-1 defeat proved too big.

Bayern started with Jonas Urbig in goal and Konrad Laimer, Dier, Minjae Kim and Josip Stanišić in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Michael Olise, Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané, with Kane up front. Raphaël Guerreiro, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Aleksandar Pavlović took over from Kim, Sané, Laimer and Goretzka in the second half.

Stalemate at the break

Bayern dominated possession in an up-tempo first half. Olise saw a shot blocked and keeper Yann Sommer denied Müller, with Urbig saving from Federico Dimarco at the other end.

Francesco Acerbi missed a volley and Hakan Çalhanoğlu fired just wide, with Bayern seeing a number of shots blocked. Sommer denied Kimmich, Sané and Laimer as it remained goalless at the break.

Not enough

Bayern took the lead when Goretzka set up Kane, who sidestepped a defender and beat Sommer to level the scores on aggregate. Urbig denied Thuram and Müller miscued at the other end, but Martínez soon capitalised on a mix-up in the Bayern box and found the net.

Dier made a crucial block against Çalhanoğlu before the day turned sour when Pavard rose high and headed in from a corner. Urbig denied Matteo Darmian, with Müller aiming too far and Olise seeing a shot deflected behind. Bayern soon made it 2-2 when Gnabry’s cross found Dier at the far post and the latter’s header sailed over Sommer and into the net. Vincent Kompany’s men pushed for a third, but Kane fired wide and Sommer denied Müller before Bayern’s European campaign ended.

Bayern’s full focus is on the Bundesliga now, and they will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to face Heidenheim.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen