Injury-hit Bayern Munich held as PSG loom

BERLIN: Depleted Bayern Munich were held to a 11 draw at home to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday, three days before their crunch Champions League return leg at Paris Saint-Germain.

Teenager Jamal Musiala beat three defenders to give injury-hit Bayern the lead midway through the first half at the Allianz Arena only for Marcus Ingvartsen to equalise for Union four minutes from time.

“That is very annoying,” Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer told Sky after the late equaliser.

“We played well over long stretches and would have deserved the victory.”

In Paris on Tuesday, European champions Bayern need to overturn a 32 first-leg defeat and started reserve team players Tiago Dantas, on a season-long loan from Benfica, as well as Josip Stanisic against Union.

The club world champions have nine players sidelined, including injured top-scorer Robert Lewandowski and winger Serge Gnabry, who is quarantined after testing positive for Covid-19.

Musiala showed great footwork to pick his way through the Union defence for the opening goal midway through the second-half, only for Ingvartsen to beat Stanisic and grab the visitors’ equaliser.

Off the field, tensions are brewing between sports director Hasan Salihamidzic and coach Hansi Flick, who has Neuer’s backing.

“I think Hansi Flick is the right coach for us,” added Neuer.

The home draw trims Bayern’s lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to five points ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig, who romped to a 4-1 win at Werder Bremen.

Leipzig dominated throughout and raced into a 3-0 lead as Dani Olmo gave them the lead before Alexander Soerloth netted twice.

Although Milot Rashica pulled a goal back for Bremen, Marcel Sabitzer finished a move for the visitors to make it 41 midway through the second-half.