Bayern has a better team, but that’s why football is the most popular sport: the better team doesn’t always win. Bayern has a better attack, but Villarreal has the better defense. Bayern is the leader of Bundesliga and a former Champions League winner, and Villarreal is currently 7th in La Liga, with almost no chances of qualifying for European competitions next season, but they still qualified for the Champions League semifinal with a surprise draw in Allianz Arena: Bayern – Villarreal 1-1. And let’s not forget, the ’Yellow submarine’ has a better coach. Unai Emery, a multiply winner of the Europa League and former PSG and Arsenal coach is at his peak, while Julian Nagelsmann is exciting and innovative, but still unexperienced.2 – @VillarrealCFen have reached the @ChampionsLeague semifinals for the second time, after the 2005/06 campaign when they lost against Arsenal (1-0 in London and 0-0 in Vila-real). Dream. pic.twitter.com/Mv2g630S2W— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 12, 2022 The Spanish tactician set up the game in the first tie perfectly and should have won with at least 2 goals difference, but nevertheless made a small miracle and defeated Bayern 1-0, with their only shot on target. And just 7 days later, the „Yellow submarine“ provided a second miracle, when they stunned Allianz Arena with (again) their only shot on target and are through to their only second semi-final of the Champions League. Emery relied on his defence and tactical discipline of his footballers and decided to stick with defending, forcing Bayern to attack and score. And when they did, he took another chance and again continued with defending, risking the second goal which would mean the end. But when the only opportunity of the match finally came in the 88th minute, his substitute scored the only goal and brought joy to the good people of Villarreal. Welcome to 𝗨𝗘𝗙𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 🏆.#UCL pic.twitter.com/vgfymTlzn8— Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) April 12, 2022 After brimming with optimism, the home crowed hurried to take their beer at halftime break, worried about their team’s chance of scoring. Emery set up a Atletico Madrid lookalike defense and totally froze Bayern. The ’Yellow submarine’ was defending perfect and with all 10 men. They doubled Coman and Lewandowski, who had maybe one touch inside the penalty area during the first half. In fact, the Pole constantly fouled Villarreal’s captain Albiol and received a yellow card for it. Literally no Bayern player could do anything on the ground, so the ball was often passed through the air, but Sane, who was deliberately left alone had another mediocre performance. After the first 45 minutes, it was clear that only an individual mistake by Villarreal players could allow the Bavarians to finally make a clear chance, yet alone score. And so it was. Parejo lost the ball in his own half and Thomas Muller passed the ball to Robert Lewandowski, who used the fact that he was unmarked and took a shot from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom left corner of Villarreal’s goal: 1-0. After the lock was unbroken, Bayern ’smelled the blood’ and suddenly became dangerous. Coman finally started to create chances, shots on target continued to amount, and the home team was ’camping’ inside Villarreal’s penalty area. But, time went on, and there were no goals. The Bavarians were getting tired, but since their bench is ’thin’, there was nobody who could make the difference apart from Gnabry, who came in rather late. And just when they needed to, the guests scored for the draw and a semi-final. Albiol took the ball his own half, and Moreno gave a low pass into the feet of a quick substitute Chukwueze, who escaped the attentions of Davies and scored for the final result. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEQuarter-final, second legTuesdayReal Madrid – Chelsea 1-3 (0-1) /first leg 3-1/Bayern – Villareal 1-1 (0-0) /first leg 0-1//Lewandowski 52 – Chukwueze 88/Wednesday22.00: (5.00) Atl.Madrid (3.50) Man.City (1.85) /first leg 0-1/22.00: (1.30) Liverpool (6.25) Benfica (10.0) /first leg 3-1/***odds are subject to change
