Liverpool and Bayern misfire and fail to meet expectations
LIVERPOOL 0 BAYERN MUNICH 0 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
LIVERPOOL’S much-anticipated Champions League knockout tie with Bayern Munich failed to live up to expectations and a goalless draw leaves Jurgen Klopp’s side with plenty to do in Germany next month.
Klopp again found his former Bundesliga rivals a tough nut to crack in their last-16, first leg encounter, which had little in the way of goalmouth action and much more in the way of uncharacteristic errors.
These clubs have 10 European Cups between them, but there was little to show for it in terms of quality, with just three combined shots on target in 90 minutes, which promised so much but delivered so little.
Liverpool, with Virgil van Dijk
suspended and Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez both injured, started with their fourth-choice centreback in Joel Matip and midfielder Fabinho playing alongside him.
It was not the best scenario to be facing the Champions League’s leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, but a clean sheet was one positive to come from the night. Alisson Becker and Manuel Neuer, both goalkeepers reknowned for being comfortable on the ball, made errors that could – on another night – have led to goals.
Liverpool’s vaunted 44-goal front line also struggled to find their target with Sadio Mane screwing a shot on the turn with his weaker foot past the far post and Mohamed Salah failing even to trouble Neuer with a free header having diverted an earlier volley straight at the goalkeeper.
The closest either side came to scoring was when Matip diverted Serge Gnabry’s cross into the chest of Alisson from point-blank range with the Brazilian knowing little about it.
Klopp said: “For us, it’s absolutely okay.
“It’s not a dream result, but it’s a good one and we can work with that.”