Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick has heaped praises on his players for making it to the final of the ongoing UEFA Champions League after beating “a hard-running team with good tactics”. The Bavarians on Wednesday overpowered Olympique Lyon 3-0 in the semifinals.
“We knew it would be a tough game. Lyon are an outstanding team, they fought. They turned in good performances against Manchester City and Juventus. We saw how difficult it is against a hard-running team with good tactics. They hurt us again and again, we were lucky to weather the early stages.
Having beaten Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinal, Bayern had arrived as the favourites against new-entrant Lyon in the last four. Despite some threatening moments in the initial stages by the French team, the German champions did not have a very challenging day at the office.
Lyon had started the game well, filling the spaces and not allowing Bayern midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Leon Goretzka time and space on the ball.
Lyon even hit the post in the 16th minute, with striker Memphis Depay wasting what might have been the first goal of the game.
However, their party did not last long. Upon receiving a long ball from Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry dribbled past three Lyon players and fired home the first goal of the night past keeper Anthony Lopes in the 16th minute.
Hansi Flick’s men, like they have shown throughout the season, were not to sit back with just one-goal lead. Ivan Perisic drilled a cross into the box, and although Robert Lewandowski’s effort hit Lopes, Gnabry was on hand to tap home the rebound to make it 2-0 after 32 minutes.
“Serge handed us the lead thanks to his individual quality. It boosted our confidence. We’ll analyse the match. Our great strength is putting our opponents our pressure. We’ll do that against Paris too,” Flick said.
Bayern Munich will now face another French team, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the final.