FC Bayern brought the Champions League phase to a successful conclusion with a 2:1 away win at PSV Eindhoven. It was the seventh win in the eighth game – and a success with a signal effect. The Munich side not only secured second place, but also the right to play at home in all of the upcoming knockout second legs. The voices after the final whistle were correspondingly satisfied, but also reflective
From the point of view of the sporting management, it was above all the way FC Bayern presented themselves in Eindhoven that was encouraging. After the game, sporting director Max Eberl explicitly referred to the resistance that had to be overcome. „It was an intense game. PSV won in Liverpool, so it’s not a team you just play away from. We also played against the crowd. But I think we did very, very well,“ explained Eberl
The 52-year-old saw a mature performance from Munich, particularly with regard to the first half. „We had opportunities in the first half, PSV also had one or two, but overall I thought it was a very, very good performance from us,“ continued Eberl. He was particularly positive about the reaction after the latest setback in the Bundesliga: „The way the team reacted after the defeat against Augsburg is positive, even against the resistance we had in the game today. That shows the character of this team.“
Musiala happy to be back – and self-critical at the same time
For Jamal Musiala, the evening in Eindhoven was special in more ways than one. The attacking player not only scored the important equalizer, but also showed a palpable joy for the game after his return to the pitch. „I’m really happy about my goal. Mum has already written me thousands of WhatsApp messages. Above all, I’m happy to be back on the pitch,“ said Musiala with a smile
At the same time, the international remained self-critical. „My focus is now on the next game, to keep raising my level. It was really good, except at the start of the second half – I forgot to play soccer for a moment,“ he admitted openly. Overall, however, he feels that he is getting closer to his top level again. „I had some good actions, I’m slowly getting back into it now. When I’m on the pitch, I just want to have a lot of energy and focus and deliver. Today was a good day.“
Musiala also spoke about the team’s learning process: „We haven’t let our level drop for many games now. We learned that against Augsburg when we drop down a bit. It was an important win today. Now the crucial games are coming and it’s important that we raise our level again for these matches.“
Urbig praises versatility and mentality
Jonas Urbig was named Man of the Match and played a key role in the success with a strong performance. The goalkeeper particularly emphasised the combative element. „The decisive factor was that we kept our foot on the gas and took on the duels in every action, fought for the second balls,“ explained Urbig. It is precisely these aspects that are crucial in games like this, „because they put the opponent under more and more pressure“
The keeper also highlighted the personnel changes: „The substitutions at the back allowed us to freshen things up and make use of the spaces that were there,“ said Urbig. His assessment with regard to different types of games is particularly noteworthy: „Whether it’s against a strong team like PSG or Chelsea – we can hold our own and win games. Or when we go into battle for the second balls like we did today. That’s what makes us so versatile.“
FC Bayern left Eindhoven with a sense of achievement, self-confidence and the knowledge that they can hold their own even under difficult conditions. The comments after the game clearly show that this team knows what is important in the Champions League – and it is ready for the decisive phase of the season.