Why watch the Champions League playoffs if there are no Russian teams there? If only to keep track of their rivals. If you are not particularly interested in Mbappe's hat-tricks and Ronaldo's ordeals, then following the same Lazio is a good thing. How was it necessary to play against them at all.
Bayern showed. It is clear that Zenit, which at the group stage in Rome without any special chances and with stupid mistakes flew 1: 3, have no such resources. Whoever ran at Koman's speed beat the goalkeeper with Lewandowski's composure and beat from behind the penalty area with Musiala's youthful audacity. However, even if not for a crushing victory, but for an equal game with chances at the opponent's goal, “Zenith” could well claim.
What was needed for this, judging by the victory of Bayern. The key is pressure on the Lazio defenders. Yes Mateo Musacchio was not yet in Rome in the fall, but Patrick had to change in the second half due to constant mistakes. Artem Dziuba chose the Barcelona pupil in the St. Petersburg match as the shortest of all the Italians' central defenders. And it was necessary not to move into the Spaniard's zone under the canopy, but to put pressure on the defender - he literally got confused in his legs and gave the ball to Coman himself. Well, then, as Stanislav Cherchesov says, it's about sprints.
At the same time, one cannot say that everything worked for Bayern according to well-oiled schemes. In terms of injuries and coronavirus, Munich continue to experience problems not only with the composition. There was a kind of slovenliness in the defense - especially when one of the Lazio players dared to go exactly between Boateng and Alaba. Yes, the Italians did not create especially dangerous moments except for a goal, and Neuer cleaned up small shoals.
Süle, who was forced to run along the right edge, still looked heavy for the full-back. Although he did not hesitate to go deep into someone else's zone. In general, playing across the flanks and returning the ball to the center of the field, already in front of the line of defense, helped Bayern a lot to exclude Lazio's strong central midfielders from defensive action. Luis Alberto, Lucas Leiva, Milinkovic-Savic - in fact, they just ran extra hundreds of meters, watching the opponent's attacks coming from the flanks.
Although the Italians managed to break the score in the end, their chances of reaching the quarterfinals are roughly equal to the chances of Zenit, which has already taken off. In the return game, Bayern can give the Petersburgers one more master class. Change the squad, the game plan, reveal other weaknesses of Lazio. And we'll see what else to do now.
Champions League. 1/8 finals. The first match
Lazio (Rome, Italy) - Bayern (Munich, Germany) - 1: 4
Lazio: Reina - Patrick (Hoodt, 53), Acerbi, Musacchio (Lulich, 31) - Lazzari, Milinkovic-Savic (Cataldi, 81), Leiva (Gonzalo, 53), Luis Alberto (Akpa-Akpro, 81), Marusic - Immobile, Correa
Bayern Munich: Neuer - Sule, Boateng, Alaba, Davis - Goretzka (Xavi Martinez, 63), Kimmich - Zane (Sarr, 90), Musiala (Shupo-Moting, 90), Coman (Hernandez, 75) - Lewandowski
Goals: Lewandowski, 9 (0: 1); Musiala, 24 (0: 2); Zane, 42 (0: 3); Acerbi, 47, into own gates (0: 4); Correa 49 (1: 4)
Warnings: Luis Alberto, 28; Leiva, 51; Correa, 57; Marusic, 65; Gonzalo, 69 / Kimmich, 72; Coman, 75
Referee: Orel Greenfield (Israel)
February 23. Rome. "Stadio Olimpico"
Return leg - March 17
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