LEWANDOWSKI STARS FOR BAYERN
ATHENS: Robert Lewandowski maintained his phenomenal scoring record with two goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to seal a 3-2 win at Olympiakos in the Champions League Tuesday. Lewandowski scored for his 12th game in a row to leave him with 18 goals in 13 games in all competitions so far this season.
After Youssef El Arabi had given Olympiakos a shock lead in Athens, Lewandowski poached goals, both after good work in the build-up from Thomas Mueller, to turn the game before Corentin Tolisso grabbed a third with a superb strike. Worryingly for the defending German champions, Olympiakos again beat Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer late on when Brazilian midfielder Guilherme hit the back of the net in a tense last ten minutes.
There was unpleasant news before kick-off in Athens when the UEFA Youth League match between Bayern and Olympiakos was abandoned with the Germans winning 4-0 after a masked gang attacked visiting fans with clubs leaving at least seven people injured. The Greek hosts can expect a hefty fine from UEFA, but the away win could have also cost Bayern a second centre-back in three days as Lucas Hernandez limped off after Niklas Suele tore his cruciate ligament on Saturday. This was Bayern’s third straight win in Europe to leave them five points clear at the top of Group B ahead of Tottenham, who won 5-0 at home to Red Star Belgrade.
Mueller had started the previous eight games on Bayern’s bench, but the German was finally named on the right wing and made his point with both assists for Lewandowski.
TURIN, ITALY: Maurizio Sarri praised Juventus for not losing their heads as Paulo Dybala’s quick-fire secondhalf double rescued a come-frombehind 2-1 win over Lokomotiv Moscow in their Champions League Group D clash on Tuesday.
The Italian champions had trailed the Russians with 13 minutes to go in the Allianz Stadium after Aleksei Miranchuk had put the visitors ahead after half an hour.
But Dybala pulled the hosts level on 77 minutes and added a second two minutes later to keep Juventus on course in Group D with seven points after three games. Sarri’s side had drawn with Atletico Madrid and beaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the last two games.
Atletico also have seven points, after beating Leverkusen 1-0 in
Spain on Tuesday, with Lokomotiv third with three points.
“It became a difficult match when we conceded this goal,” said former Chelsea boss Sarri.
“But we did well not to lose our heads. We knew we could get back into the match.”