IT’S MISSION HIGHLY Improbable for David Moyes at the Allianz Arena tonight.
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Bayern Munich (4) 3-1 (2) Manchester United
Good evening and welcome along to tonight’s UEFA Champions League cover (cue theme song).
Last night, Chelsea came from behind to book their place in the semi-finals of this season’s competition and tonight Manchester United hope to become the second Premier League team to progress by eliminating current champions Bayern Munich.
United surprised many by earning a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in the first leg last week but is this a step too far?
What way do you see the game going? Tell us in the comments section below.
So Wayne Rooney is fit to return to the United line-up having missed the weekend’s win over Newcastle. Meanwhile, Shinji Kagawa earns a start and Darren Fletcher is named in midfield alongside Michael Carrick.
There is no place for Rio Ferdinand and Chris Smalling lines out alongside Nemanja Vidic.
For the home side, Dante returns in place of the suspended Javi Martinez while Mario Gotze comes in for Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Mandzukic begins up front with Rafinha dropped and Philipp Lahm moving back to full-back.
In the night’s other game, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also nicely poised at 1-1 after their first leg. Atletic’s top scorer Diego Costa has not made the squad for that one so David Villa will lead their attack at the Vincente Calderon.
Just former United striker Louis Saha taking an Allianz Arena selfie. And what…?!
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While United had a 4-0 win thanks to a man-of-the-match performance from January signing Juan Mata, Bayern ended a 53-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 defeat to Augsburg. That said, they have already won the title.
And while he is in Munich tonight, Mata is ineligible to play having appeared for in the competition for Chelsea this season…
Referee Jonas Eriksson from Sweden has allowed Nemanja Vidic to flip the coin so we’re about to get underway.
The Bayern fans welcomed the teams out onto the pitch with this impressive tifo:
Bayern earn the first corner of the game but it is cleared away. They hold onto possession ever and a cross eventually comes in at the front post. Smalling and Muller contest it and end up clashing heads. Both look okay to continue, thankfully.
Wayne Rooney makes some space for himself after avoiding a couple of challenges but delays passing to Kagawa or shooting and the Bayern defence recovers to make a block.
Arjen Robben has been busy in the opening 15 minutes and already has seen two shots sail off-target.
United have the ball in the net… but it’s ruled offside. Rooney clips a cross in from the left side and Valencia arrives to stroke past Neuer but the replays show but he and Kagawa were offside.
Down the other end, Bayern break in numbers and Gotze slots a ball through to Ribery but the Frenchman has strayed offside.
The home side are well on top here in the possession stakes, as expected, but United have shielded David De Gea’s goal well so far. The latest attempt sees Ribery have a pop from distance, which fizzes wide.
Meanwhile, Vidic has just picked up a yellow card for coming through the back of Mandzukic.
Over in Madrid, Atletico hold a 1-0 lead (2-1 on aggregate) over Barcelona thanks to Koke’s fifth-minute goal. Watch it here.
Did anyone else just see David Moyes getting football in the groin…?
No? We’ll get you some video evidence in just a sec.
Upon further inspection, the ball actually seems to have hit the United boss in the stomach…
Evra appears to be fouled by Lahm just outside the Bayern box but the referee is having none of it… much to the dismay of the United players and fans.
Half-time: Bayern Munich 0 (1) Manchester United 0 (1)
And we’re back. No changes on either side. It may be 0-0 but if the score was to stay like this, it would be Bayern who go through on away goals.
United have two early corners, which they have looked dangerous from in Europe this season, before play is stopped after Smalling collides with Neuer.
Bayern probe again and Mandzukic wallops the ball goalward where Vidic is in the way to get a block in. He felt that one.
Kagawa comes forward at pace and, with options either side, chooses to have a strike. It’s hit cleanly but doesn’t trouble Neuer.
United then win a free-kick after Gotze and Valencia contest a 50/50 with the Ecuadorian winger coming off worse.
GOAL! Bayern Munich (1) 0-1 (2) Manchester United (Patrice Evra)
OH. MY. WORD. Pick it out, Patrice Evra. Valencia gets to the end line and cross to the back post where the French full-back lashes in off the crossbar.
GOAL! Bayern Munich (2) 1-1 (2) Manchester United (Mario Mandzukic)
Not even a minute has passed and Munich hit back through Mandzukic, who heads home after Evra is caught napping. Still celebrating his goal, probably.
That is a poor miss from Wayne Rooney. Welbeck cuts back to his international team-mate who can’t direct the shot on target. It’s all happening!
GOAL! Bayern Munich (3) 2-1 (2) Manchester United (Thomas Muller)
Bayern are ahead! Robben pulls the ball back to Muller who steers it over the line. They are now 3-2 up but if United get one goal they would progress.
Javier Hernandez has been sent on and told to grab himself a winner with Darren Fletcher withdrawn. Wayne Rooney will switch to midfield to let Chicharito go up front.
GOAL! Bayern Munich (4) 3-1 (2) Manchester United (Arjen Robben)
And that looks like game, set, match. Robben predictably cuts inside onto his left foot and waits for an opening before shooting. It takes a considerable deflection off Vidic.
Ten minutes on the clock and it looks like United are going out of Europe…
Just two minutes of the 90 left on the clock now so we’re in Barcelona ’99 territory. The only problem is whos is going to tell David Moyes to throw on Solskjaer and Sheringham?
You can see vines of all four of tonight’s goals here.
Full-time: Bayern Munich (4) 3-1 (2) Manchester United
Manchester United are out of Europe as the reigning champions Bayern Munich move on to the semis.
In the other game, Atletico Madrid have beaten Barcelona 1-0 (2-1 on agg) to also progress.
