By Derek Wilson, dpa
Pep Guardiola will leave Munich without winning Bayern the Champions League after the side’s latest semi-final defeat at the hands of Spanish opposition.
Berlin (dpa) Bayern Munich were hoping for third time lucky in the Champions League semi-finals under coach Pep Guardiola but instead suffered deja-vu as they were eliminated in painful fashion by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
Another semi-final, another opponent from Spain, another exit in front of their own fans. But this exit, on away goals after 2-2 aggregate draw, was very different to the previous humblings administered by Real Madrid (2014) and Barcelona (2015).
Real and Barca won in convincing fashion with the second legs in Munich reduced the status of friendly matches by half time.
Against Atletico in contrast, Bayern were undeniably better only to fail continually in front of goal and pay a heavy penalty for one defensive slip.
«It’s hard to accept. We’d have deserved to make it to the final,»
Robert Lewandowski, who got the winner on the night, said. «The goal was a cheap present, it was Atletico’s only chance. It hurts. That’s football.»
Kicker magazine called the game «a great football evening» and both teams looked to emphasize their strengths. Bayern controlled the ball and used the wings but struggled to break down Atletico’s two banks of four and the visitors were always dangerous on the break through Fernando Torres and the wonderful match-winner Antoine Griezmann.
But as the Sueddeutsche paper said, the match was about «more than reaching a final in Milan. It was the question of how coach Pep Guardiola will bid farewell to Germany.»
Guardiola took over Bayern as reigning European champions in 2013 and in three attempts has not managed to reach the Champions League final. A likely third successive Bundesliga title and the positive development of several players means it would be harsh to say he’s failed completely – but it is equally impossible to say he has been an unqualified success.
«Guardiola’s work remains unfinished,» a column in the Muenchner Merkur stated.
«I gave my life for this team, I fought and did my best,» Guardiola said. «We came up one goal short. I’m sorry, especially for the players.»
The margin between success and failure is wafer-thin. Had Thomas Mueller converted a first half penalty for a two-goal lead, Bayern would have been well-placed to win.
But then again, had he not rescued Bayern with a last-second equalizer against Juventus, the view of Guardiola after a last 16 loss would have been much more decisive.
«Football can be extreme at times,» Mueller said. «We did many things right and a few things wrong. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough.
«It’s quite a setback. Of course I’m disappointed because I didn’t score from the penalty.»
Judging a three-year coaching spell on the outcome of a knock-out tournament is not necessarily fair but at Bayern there seems to be an acceptance that is how it is.
«We can still finish the season celebrating,» captain Philipp Lahm said. And Bayern can, with the title probably wrapped up at Ingolstadt this Saturday and the May 21 German Cup final against Borussia Dortmund to come.
But next sentence seemed to accurately sum up the likely feeling in the Bayern camp as Guardiola prepares to head to England and Manchester City.
«It’s a pity we haven’t rewarded ourselves and the coach for the last three years,» Lahm concluded.
