Bayern Munich secured their place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the 35th time in their history after a 2-0 win against German rivals Bayer Leverkusen, completing a 5-0 aggregate victory.
Leverkusen faced a tough challenge, needing to become only the fifth team in UCL history to come back from a 3+ goal deficit in a knockout tie. But it was Bayern who looked the more dangerous side early on, with Harry Kane almost scoring within the first five minutes. Jamal Musiala made a clever run down the right and crossed the ball to Kane, but the striker was tangled with Jonathan Tah, preventing him from scoring as Lukas Hradecky managed to clear the ball off the line.
Leverkusen struggled to get into the game, with Bayern coming close twice around the 15-minute mark. Kane had a shot saved from distance, and Michael Olise’s effort just missed wide. Leverkusen’s first real chance came in the 37th minute when Patrik Schick’s header from a Granit Xhaka cross went just wide. He got closer again before the break, heading into the side netting, but Bayern kept their comfortable lead.
As the second half began, Leverkusen were running out of time to save their European hopes, and tensions rose. Xabi Alonso was booked just two minutes after the restart. The game was effectively decided in the 52nd minute when Schick miskicked a clearance from a Joshua Kimmich cross, and Kane was quick to pounce, tapping in for his 10th goal of the season, making him the first English player to score 10 goals in a single European Cup/UCL campaign.
Kingsley Coman nearly added a second Bayern goal just before the hour mark, but Hradecky made a good save at the near post. With the tie all but over, Leverkusen played for pride. Jeremie Frimpong and Schick both had chances but were denied by UCL debutant Jonas Urbig. The match was finished off when a swift Bayern move saw Kane set up Alphonso Davies to score.
In the end, Bayern had no trouble in either leg, securing a third consecutive defeat for Leverkusen, something they haven’t experienced since August 2022, and the first time Alonso has suffered such a streak as Leverkusen’s manager. Bayern will now face Inter Milan in the quarter-finals next month. Leverkusen’s best chance for silverware this season now lies in the DFB-Pokal, with Alonso’s side eight points behind leaders Bayern in the league.
