Bayern Stumble Past Juventus

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Bayern Munich battled back from two goals down then scored twice in extra time to beat Juventus 4-2 and reach the Champions League last eight with a 6-4 aggregate victory.

Thiago Alcântara drilled in after 108 minutes and Kingsley Coman curled in their fourth goal two minutes later as Bayern, who needed a 90th-minute equaliser from Thomas Müller to force extra time, kept up their treble hopes.

In a reverse of the first leg when Juve came back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2, Bayern scored twice in the second half. It was a bitter defeat for last season’s runners-up, Juve, who ran out of steam in extra time to leave domestic titles as their only potential silverware this season.

Robert Lewandowski headed in at the far post to reignite the home side’s hopes and trigger a dramatic finale in which Müller scored in almost identical fashion. Thiago came off the bench to put Bayern in front after a delightful interchange with Müller and his fellow substitute Coman, who had crossed for Müller’s equaliser at the end of normal time, completed a memorable comeback win. Coman is on loan from Juventus but there is no clause preventing him from playing against them.

The hosts had a golden chance after two minutes when Douglas Costa sent the former Juve player Arturo Vidal through but the Chilean’s poor first touch allowed Gianluigi Buffon to save. It was the Bianconeri who drew first blood with Paul Pogba capitalising on a David Alaba mistake to beat Manuel Neuer.

Bayern, who had not let in a first-half goal in their previous seven games in the competition, were rattled and Neuer almost gifted another goal after sending the ball straight to Álvaro Morata, whose looping effort was ruled offside. Morata, however, made a 40-metre run past four Bayern players to send Juan Cuadrado through for their second goal.

Bayern showed their first signs of life just before the break when Müller’s effort was saved by Buffon and the ball rolled narrowly wide from a Robert Lewandowski deflection. But Juve, who have let in only one goal in 12 Serie A matches this year, remained solid at the back and kept taking stabs at the shaky Bayern defence, Morata coming close again on the hour.

The Poland striker Lewandowski headed in at the far post for his eighth goal of the campaign in the 73rd minute, before Müller followed suit to set up the extra time.

The win means Pep Guardiola maintained his hopes of a Champions League title in his last season in Munich.

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Munich Muller in Bremen Rout

Thomas Müller scored twice as Bayern Munich warmed up for Juventus in the Champions League with a routine 5-0 rout of Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Thiago Alcantara opened the scoring after nine minutes when he beat his marker to Kingsley Coman’s sharp cross. Coman was again provider for the second in the 31st minute, beating a defender on the left and crossing for Müller to convert past Werder Bremen’s goalkeeper, Felix Wiedwald.

Bayern had around 80% ball possession as Bremen failed to threaten in a flat first half of football. Thiago struck the crossbar from distance after the break.

Mario Götze, playing for the first time since getting injured on international duty in October, had two efforts on goal, and went off shortly after his second attempt after 50 minutes.

Müller sealed the game with his 19th goal of the season in the 65th minutes, converting the rebound after Wiedwald saved Franck Ribéry’s volley from 20 yards.

Robert Lewandowski, who came on for Müller after 74 minutes, claimed his 24th goal of the campaign in the 86th minute, and there was still time for Thiago to complete the scoring in the final minute, again set up by former Juventus player Coman.

Bayern, who host Juventus on Wednesday after drawing 2-2 in their Champions League last 16 first leg, moved eight points clear of Borussia Dortmund who play Mainz on Sunday.

Werder Bremen were missing top-scorer Claudio Pizarro to injury, as well as their captain, Clemens Fritz, and midfielder Zlatko Junuzovic after they intentionally picked up yellow cards to incur suspensions which they hoped would make them available for later games. The German Football Association (DFB) decided to fine the pari e20,000 each for deliberately picking up yellow cards but not to give them additional suspensions.

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Mainz Take Pep Out of Bayern Step

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Bayern Munich suffered their first defeat for three months when the Bundesliga leaders lost 2-1 at home to Mainz. The Colombian Jhon Córdoba snatched the winner in the 86th minute.

Pep Guardiola’s team gave a lacklustre display and Mainz, who are fifth in the table, went 1-0 up when Jairo Samperio arrived at the far post to hammer Giulio Donati’s cross past Manuel Neuer in the 26th minute.

Bayern, who were last beaten by Borussia Mönchengladbach on 5 December, equalised with a 25-metre drive from Arjen Robben in the 64th minute. The winger was set up by Arturo Vidal and Robben controlled the ball before hitting a thunderous left-foot shot to score his first goal since November.

Bayern pushed for a second goal but Mainz hit them on the break when Daniel Brosinski found Julian Baumgartlinger and his cutback was converted from the edge of the area by Córdoba.

“The game was a clear indication that it’s not easy to win in the Bundesliga,” said the Bayern coach, Pep Guardiola. “Congratulations to Mainz for the victory. In the second half it wasn’t easy, with 10 players in their penalty area, but we had enough chances to win the game. We still have much work to do to defend our title.”

Bayern are on 62 points while Borussia Dortmund have 57 after they beat SV Darmstadt 2-0.

Adrian Ramos’ first-half header gave Dortmund a 38th-minute lead at Darmstadt, the striker flicking Gonzalo Castro’s fine curling ball past Christian Mathenia, before Erik Durm finished from close range after more good work by Castro.

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Juventus Comeback Stuns Bayern

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Juventus came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 home draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich.

Goals from Thomas Müller and Arjen Robben either side of half-time looked to have put Bayern in control of the tie. But Paulo Dybala pulled one back and the substitute Stefano Sturaro equalised to ensure Juventus will go into the second leg on 16 March with optimism.

The pre-match team news focused on both team’s defences, with Juve switching to a back four in the absence of Giorgio Chiellini while injury-hit Bayern paired the inexperienced Joshua Kimmich with the versatile David Alaba in the centre. The full-back Philipp Lahm made his 100th Champions League appearance.

Mario Mandzukic scuffed an early shot for Juve before, at the other end, a rather better-struck 25-yard volley from Arturo Vidal was beaten away by Gianluigi Buffon. Mandzukic stretched to reach strike partner Dybala’s cross but could only divert the ball over the bar.

Bayern missed an extraordinary opportunity in the 13th minute when Lahm cut the ball into the box and Robert Lewandowski drew the keeper but squared the ball behind Müller, who could not get the ball out of his feet and his weak shot was cleared off the line by Leonardo Bonucci.

Vidal got away with a possible handball when Paul Pogba stabbed the ball into the Bayern area.

Robben fired over from the right side of the penalty area before Müller was again unable to bring the ball under control in the box.

Buffon fumbled Juan Bernat’s innocuous shot but Bonucci scrambled the ball away, and Robben then headed Douglas Costa’s corner wide.

Bayern continued to dominate, though, and it told before half-time as Costa’s volleyed cross deflected off Andrea Barzagli and Müller stroked home.

Massimiliano Allegri sent on Hernanes for Claudio Marchisio at half-time but the desired impact was not forthcoming as Robben made it 2-0 10 minutes into the second period. Thiago Alcântara’s pass sparked a three-man breakaway and Lewandowski, who got away with a foul on Bonucci in the buildup, used Müller as a decoy and fed the winger, who cut inside and curled a left-foot shot around Bonucci and Buffon.

Dybala saw a free-kick deflected over the bar but the Bayern pressure kept coming and Lewandowski sent a diving header wide.

Out of nowhere, though, Juve pulled a goal back when Kimmich’s error presented the ball to Mandzukic and he slid it through for Dybala to take a touch and finish.

Mandzukic was fortunate to escape punishment after twice pushing his head towards Lewandowski as the two squared up but it did not disrupt Juve’s new-found rhythm, Juan Cuadrado denied by Manuel Neuer’s fingertips and Pogba curling just over.

Allegri sent on Sturaro in the 69th minute and Alvaro Morata in the 75th and these changes paid off immediately, as Morata headed Mandzukic’s pass nicely across the six-yard box for a lunging Sturaro to finish via the crossbar.

Barzagli cleared Robben’s cross away from Lewandowski and when Muller delivered from the other side, it was just too far in front of the Poland striker. Mehdi Benatia then headed over from Thiago’s corner.

Bonucci’s shot was straight at Neuer and the Bayern substitute Franck Ribery, who on Sunday returned from 11 months out, was unable to pick out Lewandowski as the match finished with no further score.

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Juventus Revive Serie A Battle

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Juventus burst back into the Serie A title race with a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over their fierce rivals Fiorentina.

Juve, who started the season poorly, are six points behind the leaders, Internazionale, after winning six games in a row. Inter won 4-0 at Udinese on Saturday.

Josip Ilicic’s penalty was cancelled out by the former Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado, on loan at the Juventus Stadium, with Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala completing the turnround in the second half.

Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve are now fourth before next Sunday’s trip to face lowly Carpi while second-placed Fiorentina, who next entertain Chievo, remain four points shy of Inter.

Wojciech Szczesny excelled in the Roma goal as Napoli were held to a goalless draw at the Stadio San Paolo.

Roma looked like scoring in the first half but Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli turned the screw after the break, with the on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper Szczesny standing between them and a seventh straight home win.

Misfiring Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by the basement team, Hellas Verona, at San Siro.

Sinisa Mihajlovic has watched his Rossoneri drop points to such clubs as Carpi in recent weeks and the club’s mission to return to the Champions League places is looking increasingly fragile.

Milan took the lead through Carlos Bacca shortly after half-time but paid a heavy price for Nigel de Jong’s decision to commit a professional foul. He was sent off and Luca Toni levelled from the spot.

Valter Birsa’s second-half goal led to Chievo beating nine-man Atalanta 1-0 in Verona.

Nicolo Cherubin’s 66th-minute dismissal offered Alberto Paloschi the chance to score a penalty but Marco Sportiello denied him before Birsa produced the winner 10 minutes later.

To compound Atalanta’s disappointment Jasmin Kurtic was sent off for dissent in stoppage time.

Massimo Maccarone scored twice and set up a third goal for Riccardo Saponara as the upwardly mobile Empoli brushed Carpi aside 3-0 at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.

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Belgium v Italy - Heysel Remembered

Friday's friendly between Belgium and Italy will be used to commemorate the victims of the Heysel Stadium tragedy, shortly after the 30th anniversary.

The match is being played at the King Baudouin Stadium, which is the rebuilt Heysel Stadium, where 39 people - mostly Italians - died during fan violence at the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus on May 29, 1985.

A shirt was laid along with flowers to honour the 39 who died

There was a ceremony before Thursday's training session to retire Italy's No. 39 shirt in memory of the victims, and during the match itself play will be stopped after 39 minutes for a period of reflection.

Prior to to kick-off, both teams will hold up a commemorative banner.

Yesterday's ceremony drew an emotional response from the Italy players, with Gianluigi Buffon in particular overwhelmed by the occasion.

Both Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini laid flowers at the memorial to the victims of the disaster, which saw a stadium wall collapse after crowd trouble between the two sets of supporters.

In total, the tragic incident claimed the lives of 39 fans and left another 600 injured.

Giorgio Chiellini presented a bouquet of flowers

At the memorial service, members of the Azzurri's Juventus contingent Andrea Barzagli Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio looked solemn as they remembered those supporters who lost their lives.

The friendly itself kicks off at 7.45pm this evening, and Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has admitted he wants to experiment with some players, including rightback Luis Pedro Cavanda of Trabzonspor.

Juventus players Andrea Barzagli Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio remember those who lost their lives

"Players will have a chance to show themselves," Wilmots said. "We will be rotating."

Friday's game would have been a highlight for Napoli's Dries Mertens but he was out after tearing a right thigh muscle this week.

Captain Vincent Kompany is also out of both games as he is troubled by a calf injury and, after already angering Manchester City by fielding him last month at the end of an injury spell, Wilmots is looking to keep risks to a minimum.

"I don't want to overexert him, also out of respect for Manchester City," Wilmots said. "We have enough other options."

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Inter Missed Top Chance

Internazionale missed the chance to go top of Serie A by drawing 1-1 at Palermo on Saturday while Bologna came from behind to defeat 10-man Carpi 2-1 and Empoli sank Genoa 2-0.

Roberto Mancini’s Inter extended their streak without a victory to four matches and spurned the opportunity to usurp Fiorentina as leaders after Alberto Gilardino cancelled out Ivan Perisic’s opener.

The draw left Inter second on 18 points, the same as Fiorentina who have a game in hand. Palermo are 11th on 11 points.

The visitors struck after 60 minutes when a magnificent chip from Stevan Jovetic found Jonathan Biabiany advancing into the box. The substitute brought the ball down before crossing to Perisic who finished calmly at the far post.

Gilardino equalised six minutes later after reacting quickest in a goalmouth melee to tap the ball past Samir Handanovic from close range.

Mancini made four changes following the 0-0 draw with Juventus last weekend and his side lacked cohesion early on.

Handanovic made two saves from Franco Vázquez while the Palermo forward also sent a header just over the bar after outmuscling Joao Miranda.

Inter’s Jeison Murillo was shown a second yellow card in the 79th minute for bringing down Vázquez with a poorly-timed challenge.

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