Beşiktaş’s Champions League campaign over, coach says after 5-0 loss at Bayern
MUNICH
Turkish champion Beşiktaş’s prospects of moving forward in the Champions League are effectively over, coach Şenol Güneş said after a 5-0 loss at Bayern Munich late on Feb. 20.
Bayern Munich, helped by two typical Thomas Müller goals and two from Robert Lewandowski, romped to a 5-0 home win over Beşiktaş after the Istanbul club played nearly the whole match with 10 men.
Beşiktaş defender Domagoj Vida was given a straight red card for tripping Lewandowski outside the penalty area in the 16th minute, the defining moment in the round of 16, first leg tie.
“We won or drew all our games in the group phase, but tonight the opponent was better,” Beşiktaş coach Güneş told a post-game press conference.
“After the sending off, it became too difficult for us.
“We suffered mentally and physically, they took advantage.”
Güneş swapped striker Vagner Love for defender Dusko Tosic in the second half, but it made little difference.
“We tried to limit the damage and focus on the second half, but we couldn’t manage it,” said the Beşiktaş boss.
“We are an attacking team, but we had to defend and we couldn’t play our football because the opponent was too strong.”
“We would want to bid farewell with a good game,” he added.
Müller, inelegant yet always effective, broke the deadlock with a miskick two minutes before halftime to break Beşiktaş’s resistance.
Kingsley Coman and Müeller added two more before Lewandowski helped himself to a late brace, virtually assuring the Bavarians of a seventh successive quarterfinal appearance.
“We began nervously and couldn’t find our rhythm,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes after his side equaled a club record of 14 consecutive wins in all competitions. “The turning point was the sending-off and the goal just before the break.”
