Beşiktaş bids farewell to Champions League with loss

ISTANBUL

A Thiago Alcantara strike and Sandro Wagner’s first Champions League goal capped Bayern Munich’s 3-1 win at Beşiktaş on March 14, putting an end to the home side’s dream season on the Europea stage.

Bayern completed a comprehensive 8-1 aggregate victory in Istanbul, having effectively clinched the last-16 tie following a 5-0 rout last month in the first leg in Munich.

But Beşiktaş suppoters had still much to celebrate: They applauded their side and Bayern, prasing Beşiktaş players and coach Şenol Güneş for a successful Champions League campaign.

In this season’s campaign, Beşiktaş became the first Turkish team to win a Champions League group, first Turkish team to win three away games in the group stage, and was has unbeaten in its seven European matches until the Bayern clash.

Beşiktaş coach Güneş thanked the supporters after the game.

“It is good to be praised for the job you do,” Güneş told a post-game press conference.

“We are doing our job to make them happy. We were beaten, and I left for the dressing room, because I thought [the fans] would not call us [to the stands]. I feel embarrassed, I’m ashamed. I wonder if I could give back for their support,” he added.

For Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti in October, this was his 11th straight win in the Champions League which set a new competition record.

After Thiago fired home early on, an own goal by Beşiktaş right-back Gökhan Gönül put Bayern 2-0 up right at the start of the second half.
With the team 7-0 down overall, Beşiktaş finally came to life, grabbing a consolation goal by Vagner Love.

But Bayern notched its third of the evening when back-up striker Sandro Wagner came off the bench to mark his Champions League debut with his first goal at this level.

Also on March 14 in the Champions League, Lionel Messi scored two brilliant goals and created another for Ousmane Dembele as Barcelona thrashed Chelsea 3-0 to reach the quarterfinals 4-1 on aggregate.

Messi opened the scoring after two minutes and eight seconds, the quickest goal of his career, slipping the ball through Thibaut Courtois’ legs from a tight angle.

The Argentine forward created the second with a blistering run from the halfway line which left three Chelsea defenders stumbling in his wake, before squaring the ball for Ousmane Dembele to rifle home his first goal for the club.

Marcos Alonso hit the post and Olivier Giroud was unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty for a tangle with Gerard Pique as Chelsea tried to launch a comeback, before Messi killed the tie with his 100th Champions League goal.

“To have Messi in the team is a luxury, he’s such a good player that in any move he can create danger against you,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said.

“Our attacking play goes through him and any move is improved by his touch.”

Barcelona reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the 11th consecutive season while Chelsea was left facing a battle to qualify for the competition again as it scraps for a top-four finish in the Premier League.