Bayern overcome injury setbacks to beat Atletico 2-0
Madrid: Bayern Munich demonstrated their depth and resilience by securing a 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, extending their unbeaten run in the competition despite arriving in Spain without several key players and head coach Vincent Kompany.
Teenage forward Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer found the net for the German champions, who controlled proceedings against Diego Simeone’s side to strengthen their position in the league-phase standings.
Bayern’s preparations had been far from ideal, with Jamal Musiala, Luis Diaz, Serge Gnabry and Ismael Saibari among those unavailable through injury. Kompany was also absent from the touchline after falling ill with a meningitis-related condition. However, the visitors showed little sign of being affected by the disruptions.
Karl, who endured a difficult opening half, emerged as the unlikely breakthrough figure shortly after the interval. The 18-year-old seized on a defensive lapse from Robin Le Normand, took possession away from the Atletico defender and cleverly lifted the ball over goalkeeper Jan Oblak in the 54th minute.
The goal gave Bayern the momentum they needed, and Laimer soon extended their advantage with a spectacular finish. Harry Kane, making his first European appearance since winning the Ballon d’Or, spotted the midfielder in space and supplied the pass before Laimer unleashed a powerful effort into the roof of the net.
Kane, meanwhile, missed an opportunity to match Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League record of scoring in 11 consecutive appearances. The England international, who had found the net in his previous 10 outings, failed to convert either of his notable opportunities, sending an acrobatic attempt wide before missing the target with a low effort.
Bayern also came close to adding a third when Dayot Upamecano’s deflected strike was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Oblak. At the opposite end, Manuel Neuer enjoyed a relatively comfortable evening, with Atletico managing just one effort on target.
The result keeps Bayern unbeaten in this season’s Champions League campaign. They will next face Lille on November 25, while Atletico Madrid take on Norwegian champions Viking on the same date.