Online Reporter
Bayern Munich’s busy match schedule affected their performance in the 1-1 draw against Celtic on Tuesday, coach Vincent Kompany said after the German hosts needed a stoppage-time equaliser to squeeze through to the Champions League Round of 16.
Bayern qualified 3-2 on aggregate in their playoff but only after struggling against the Scots, who had the better chances and took the lead in the 63rd minute through Nicolas Kuehn, a former Bayern reserve player.
The hosts needed a last-gasp goal from Alphonso Davies to seal their spot in the next round following last week’s 2-1 victory in Glasgow. Bundesliga leaders Bayern were in Celtic last week before travelling to reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday for the Bundesliga’s top-of-the-table clash where they played out a goalless draw.
“We always talked about how many matches we have in six days,” Kompany told a press conference. “It is simple. The first half could have been better, the second half was good. We had chances and could have scored more goals.
“It is not easy to get through such a programme. You have to see it in this context. Our goal is for performance and results to match, starting Sunday.”
Bayern, who have an eight-point lead over second-placed Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, could be without Harry Kane on Sunday at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, who are five points further back in third, with the striker taken off at halftime.
“We were in Glasgow on Wednesday. Then Leverkusen. Big energy output. It is normal after the second game to take an extra day to recover,” Kompany said, adding that Kane’s knock to the face in the game at Leverkusen had not been serious.
Meanwhile, AC Milan looked to be in control of their Champions League destiny at home to Feyenoord on Tuesday before the sending off of Theo Hernandez turned the playoff on its head although coach Sergio Conceicao refused to blame the defender for their exit.
Having lost the first leg 1-0, Milan were level on aggregate in the opening minute but after Hernandez picked up a second booking for simulation, Feyenoord equalised in the second half to draw 1-1 and reach the last 16 with a 2-1 win overall. Milan could have avoided a playoff altogether with a win at Dinamo Zagreb in their final league phase game but on that occasion they had Yunus Musah sent off and lost 2-1.
“It’s definitely a failure, we wanted to get to the last 16. This match showed that we are stronger than the opponent and that it was the episodes that decided, like in Zagreb, sending off there, sending off here,” Conceicao told reporters.
“You could say that the referee (Szymon Marciniak) was too harsh, but we had to be stronger mentally. I’m the one responsible, not Theo. Then inside the locker room, we’ll see.
“Theo has given so much to Milan, I have made many mistakes in my career. Until Theo’s red card, Feyenoord didn’t know how to get to the goal. We are disappointed and angry.” —SuperSport.
