Wasted chances proves Real are vulnerable: Heynckes

BERLIN – Reuters

Bayern Munich spurned a hatful of chances in its 2-1 home loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal first leg on April 25 but coach Jupp Heynckes said the fact they created so many opportunities proves the Spaniards are vulnerable.

Bayern should have been several goals to the good in the first half with Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels and Franck Ribery all coming close.

But the Germans were let down by some unusually sloppy finishing that allowed defending champion Real to escape with a win and left Bayern in danger of being eliminated from the competition by a Spanish club for a fifth straight season.

“We are not giving up,” said Heynckes, who led Bayern to a treble of titles in 2013. “When you create so many chances against a team like Real then this is also an indication that the opponent is vulnerable.

“We have nothing to lose and we will be play freely. Maybe more so than in the first leg because our game was not as fluid as we would have liked.”

Bayern had been near flawless in 2018, having scored 69 goals in its 20 matches in all competitions until April 25.

Heynckes had won his previous 12 consecutive Champions League matches while Bayern had lost just once in its last 22 home games in the competition going into the Real encounter.

That one defeat, however, was to Real in last year’s quarterfinals.

“At the end of the day it is 2-1 for Real and we did not do ourselves any favors,” said Bayern captain Müller. “How they [Real] did it is their thing but it shows that there is still a lot possible in the return leg.”