Bayern Munich loses but advances in Champions League
Two games, 10 goals — a couple of them of memorable quality — and two teams knocked out of the race.
That was the story of the European Champions League on Tuesday as Bayern Munich lost, 3-2, to Fiorentina in Italy but still advanced to the tournament’s last eight and Arsenal routed FC Porto, 5-0, in England to also book its place in the quarterfinals.
On Wednesday, David Beckham returns to his old stomping grounds in Manchester as AC Milan plays Manchester United, and Real Madrid is at home against Olympique Lyon, in Champions League play.
Two goals stood out Tuesday — one by Bayern winger Arjen Robben and the other by Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri.
Bayern traveled to Florence having won the first game last week in the two-game round-of-16 series, 2-1, in Germany, amid considerable controversy because Miroslav Klose’s winning goal in the next-to-last minute was scored from an offside position, an infraction not spotted by the referee. That goal would come back to haunt Fiorentina on Tuesday.
On a cold, wet and exceptionally windy night, the Italian team carried the game to its opponent and appeared set to snatch the series from the Bundesliga giants. An excellent strike from winger Juan Vargas gave Fiorentina the lead in the 27th minute and Stevan Jovetic made it 2-0 after 54 minutes.
A well-struck goal by Bayern’s captain, Mark van Bommel, off a cross from Franck Ribery, who had lured three defenders out of position, made it 2-1, tying the series on aggregate, 3-3, with each team having scored one vital road goal.
Fiorentina fans believed they had it won when Jovetic, a 20-year-old rising star from Montenegro, scored his second goal of the match, making it 3-1 in the 64th minute, but 72 seconds later Robben ruined their hopes.
Taking the ball on the right flank and cutting inside his defenders, Robben let fly with a shot from 30 yards that sailed into the upper left corner of the net. There was little that Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey could do about the shot.
The game ended with a 3-2 Fiorentina win and with the series tied at 4-4, but Bayern advanced because of its two away goals. That left fans at the Artemio Franchi Stadium chanting “Thieves, Thieves” in reference to what they perceived as the first-leg robbery in Munich.
“We are angry and disappointed,” Frey told Sky Sports Italia, “Had the game in Germany finished 1-1, then we would have gone through tonight.”
In London, meanwhile, Arsenal also trailed, 2-1, after the first game in Portugal, but the defending Portuguese champions were no match for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal striker Niklas Bendtner scored the first hat trick of his professional career, but the night’s best goal was scored by his teammate, Samir Nasri.
Nasri, the French international, turned three would-be FC Porto defenders inside out with a twisting run and finished by scoring a stunning goal, firing the ball in off the far post from a tough angle.
