Bayern Munich have 13 points from five games in UEFA Champions League Group A. - © Sebastian Widmann
Bayern Munich have 13 points from five games in UEFA Champions League Group A. - © Sebastian Widmann
Bayern Munich extend UEFA Champions League group record with Copenhagen draw
Bayern Munich made it a record-extending 39 UEFA Champions League group games unbeaten in their goalless draw with Copenhagen.
Bayern 0-0 Copenhagen
Bayern had already secured their place in the last 16 as section winners, but still had a quite remarkable six-year unbeaten home record in the groups to defend. Teenager Mathys Tel - starting in place of Leroy Sané - had the first real chance, sending a snap-shot from inside the Copenhagen area high into the Munich night sky. Kamil Grabara - who has agreed a deal to join Wolfsburg in 2024 - then pulled off a stunning reaction save to thwart Thomas Müller's towering header. Between times, Roony Bardghji steered wide with Copenhagen's only real effort of a one-sided first half.
Bayern survived a scare soon after the restart when Diogo Gonçalves whipped a low shot on the turn just past Manuel Neuer's left-hand post. The record champions didn't take long to wrestle back control, albeit without seriously testing the Copenhagen rearguard from open play. Sané was among the players sent on in a bid to find a way through with 64 minutes gone. He almost did just that from a free-kick, but Grabara was able to push the ball over the crossbar with his fingertips. Dayot Upamecano sent a glancing header from a corner wide, before Neuer pulled off a superb late double save as Bayern dropped points for the first time in this season's competition.
Match stats
- Bayern's run of 17 straight group wins prior to this game is a tournament record. They had scored in their last 26 home matches in the competition, dating back to a goalless draw with Sevilla in April 2018.
- Neuer has kept 55 clean sheets in 133 Champions League appearances for Bayern and boyhood club Schalke.
- The six-time winners have won 28 of their previous 29 home group games.
- Müller made his 146th Champions League appearance - an on-going record for a German player.
- Aleksandar Pavlovic, 19, made his Champions League debut.
- The game was Bayern's 100th in UEFA competition at the Allianz Arena.
Teams
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Laimer, Goretzka, Upamecano, Davies (Krätzig 86') - Kimmich, Guerreiro (Pavlovic 64') - Coman (Sané 64'), Müller, Tel (Gnabry 64') - Kane
Unused subs: Peretz, Ulreich, Sarr
Out: Buchmann (thigh), Choupo-Moting (knee), De Ligt (knee), Kim (hip), Mazraoui (ill), Musiala (hamstring)
Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Copenhagen: Grabara - Jelert, Vavro, Diks, Boilesen (Ankersen 71') - Lerager, Falk, Gonçalves (Hojlund 90'+5) - Elyounoussi, Claesson (c) (Óskarsson 60'), Bardghji (Achouri 60')
Unused subs: Sander, Dithmer, Sorensen, Tanlongo, Larsson, Cornelius, Lund
Out: Clem (broken foot), Khocholava (knee)
Coach: Jacob Neestrup
As it happened!
0 - 0
(0 - 0)
Bayern
FINAL
Copenhagen
Champions League
Group A, Matchday 5 Group A, Matchday 5 Allianz Arena
Group A, Matchday 5 Group A, Matchday 5 Allianz Arena
90'
+ 7
Full time: Bayern 0-0 Copenhagen
Bayern stay unbeaten in this season's groups, and extend their unbowed run at this stage to a staggering 39 games.
Full-time
90'
+ 5
Substitution
90'
+ 3
Not given!
Stéphanie Frappart reverses her decision after consulting the pitch-side monitor. Not much Ankersen could do to get out of the way of the ball, and it hit his torso first.
90'
+ 2
Penalty check!
Possible handball in the Copenhagen box after good play by Krätzig. The referee initially awarded a penalty, but will check this...
89'
Added time
Five minutes for Bayern to find a winner...
87'
Neuer to the rescue!
No wonder Bayern have just signed Neuer to a new deal. He's just pulled off a sensational double save at close quarters to prevent Bayern shipping a late goal!
86'
Substitution
84'
No penalty!
There's a VAR check for a possible penalty after Müller goes to ground in the Copenhagen area - not given! He lost his footing jostling for the ball with Ankersen.
80'
Whisker away!
Upamecano is unmarked as he meets a Kimmich corner, but his header goes wide with Grabara in no man's land.
75'
Rare blank
A reminder that Bayern have not fired a blank at home in the Champions League since a goalless draw with Sevilla in April 2018.
71'
Close!
Sané whips a free-kick up and over the Copenhagen wall, with Grabara at full stretch to touch it over. No corner given, though. The fans are hot happy and neither is reserve keeper Sven Ulreich, who's booked for his protestations.
68'
Kane!
The Bayern No.9 drops deep to take on a fierce shot from 20 yards that Grabara can only punch clear.
66'
Super Manu
Neuer dives to his right to stop Achouri's daisy-cutter sneaking in at the near post.
64'
Triple change
Tuchel didn't use any of his substitutes against Cologne. Here come three in one go...
64'
Substitution
64'
Substitution
64'
Substitution
62'
Tel!
The Frenchman connects with a ball in from the left, but is under pressure from a Copenhagen player and blazes off target. VAR takes a look at the incident - no penalty is the decision.
60'
Substitution
60'
Substitution
57'
Banks of blue
Bayern are hogging the ball, but Copenhagen have nine outfield players behind the ball. Can they unpick the lock?
55'
Yellow card
47'
Warning shot
They've barely threatened, but that's another big chance not taken by Copenhagen as Diogo Gonçalves bends wide from 18 yards. Not sure Neuer would have got to that.
Kick-off!
45'
Half-time: Bayern 0-0 Copenhagen
Still no goals at the Allianz Arena, where Bayern have dominated, with Tel and Müller spurning the best chances.
Half-time
44'
Knocking at the door
Some last-ditch defending from Copenhagen stops Müller and Tel getting shots off in the box, before the whistle sounds for a foul in the build-up. Guerreiro then tries to squeeze a ball to a teammate, but Grabara is out to smother.
42'
No way through
Müller pounces on a mistake in the Copenhagen half and feeds Coman, who tries one too many step-overs and is eventually crowded out.
40'
Kane threat
Kane goes down under Vavro's challenge in the six-yard box, but the referee is unmoved. The Bayern No.9 has been directly involved in a goal every 59 minutes so far this season...
35'
Bayern in charge
Almost every outfield Bayern player is in the half. Copenhagen are defending well, but as we saw against Galatasaray, Tuchel's men have a habit of finding a way.
30'
Müller!
Tel heads a cross over to Müller in the six-yard box, with only a fabulous reaction save from Grabara preventing the Bayern man breaking the deadlock.
27'
Big chance!
Copenhagen get the ball in the Bayern box for Bardghji. He has time to pick his spot, but can only curl the ball wide of Neuer's right-hand post.
24'
Yellow card
23'
Guerreir-no!
Kimmich's corner is cleared to the Portuguese midfielder, who sends his 18-yard effort wide.
18'
Three out of four ain't bad
As well as Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig will be in the draw for the last 16. Only UCL debutants Union can no longer reach the knockouts.
15'
Tel!
Müller heads Coman's cross on for Tel. It bounces in front of him at the far post, but the French teenager seems to make contact with his shin and the ball sails high into the stand behind Grabara's goal. He knows that was a big chance!
13'
Off target
Vavro sends a long-range effort well wide of Neuer's goal. That's the first time the Danes have strung anything meaningful together in the Bayern third.
10'
Go long!
Bayern try to catch out the visiting defence with a couple of balls from deep. Grabara's there each time, though.
6'
Bayern come again
Bayern win back the ball and break at speed, with Kane sweeping a pass out to Coman. He tries to feed Müller in the box, but a defender gets a block in.
4'
Right idea
Bayern work the play from left to right for Coman. He drops a shoulder and swings in a cross, but a deflection takes the sting out of it and Wolfsburg-bound Grabara is able to gather.
3'
Assured start
As you'd expect from Bayern, they're already dictating the pace of the game. Copenhagen have every player back inside their own half.
1'
Under way!
Bayern in red and white, Copenhagen in blue. Can the six-time winners stay perfect?
Kick-off!
Teams out
A full house at the Allianz Arena. The home fans expect...
Group A permutations
Bayern have top spot sewn up, but there's a three-way battle brewing for the runners-up spot. Galatasaray are currently second on five points after fighting back to draw with bottom side Man United who, like Copenhagen, have four points. The Danes could really use a result in Munich, but we know that's easier said than done.
Home comforts
Since the 3-2 loss to PSG in April 2021, Bayern have gone 12 Champions League home games unbeaten (W10, D2). That was also their only defeat in the last 21 games at the Allianz Arena in this competition (W18, D2). Sevilla were the last team to stop them from scoring in front of their own fans, meanwhile, some 26 matches ago, in April 2018.
Kane targets Champions League trophy
"People expect us to win the Champions League and I know I’m here to help. It’s an ambition of mine to win it too."
More on those teams
Mazraoui, Kim and Choupo-Moting are all missing for Bayern. Goretzka drops into the centre of defence as a result, with Davies returning at left-back and Guerreiro partnering Kimmich in midfield. Müller assumes No.10 duties, while the teenaged Tel gets a run-out at the expense of Sané.
Bayern starting line-up
Neuer (c) - Laimer, Goretzka, Upamecano, Davies - Kimmich, Guerreiro - Coman, Müller, Tel - Kane
Bayern subs
Peretz, Ulreich, Gnabry Sané, Pavlovic, Krätzig, Sarr
Copenhagen starting line-up
Grabara - Jelert, Vavro, Diks, Boilesen - Lerager, Falk, Gonçalves - Elyounoussi, Claesson (c), Bardghji
Copenhagen subs
Sander, Dithmer, Sorensen, Tanlongo, Larsson, Cornelius, Óskarsson, Ankersen, Lund, Achouri, Hojlund
Tuchel cautious on changes
© IMAGO/RHR-Foto
Neuer and Ulreich extend
© Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images
Müller history
© IMAGO / Sven Simon / Frank Hoermann / Pool
The first meeting
Bayern came from behind to win 2-1 against Copenhagen in the Danish capital on Matchday 2. Lukas Lerager put the hosts ahead 11 minutes after the interval, but Jamal Musiala (67') and substitute Mathys Tel (83') - with his first Champions League goal - earned Thomas Tuchel's men the win. Oh, and there was a fantastic save from Sven Ulreich late on to preserve the slender winning margin.
2:22
Fortess Allianz
Unbeaten run
Bayern have now won their last 17 Champions League fixtures, and are unbeaten in their last 38 matches at this stage of the competition, both are all-time records.
0:53
Neuer's comeback
Record start … again
Kane & Co. have extended all sorts of records: they've won their first four group games for the fifth consecutive season, and the eighth time overall. No other team in the competition's history has done that so often.
2:51
Kane crushing it
Sweet 16
Bayern come into the game with their place in the knockout stages already secure - one of six teams in that situation - after four wins from four so far to have clinched top spot in Group A with two matches to spare. It's the 16th successive year in which the record Bundesliga champions have progressed from the group.
Welcome!
© SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty Images
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