A quiet night in the competition saw 180 minutes of football provide no goals in UEFA Champions League round of 16 action on Tuesday, 19 February.
Bayern Munich failed to find a way to score, let alone win, at Liverpool – going a fourth straight game at Anfield without finding the net in a 0-0 draw – and even Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez could do nothing to alter a scoreless night in club football’s most prestigious competition, as Lyon surprisingly held Barcelona to a stalemate.
By denying Bayern an away goal, Liverpool have a slight edge heading into the second leg, knowing they would advance with a score draw in Munich in three weeks’ time; by keeping Barca’s attacking stars in check, Lyon keep alive hopes of causing a huge upset.
Anfield: Big Guns Fail to Fire
In a meeting of teams who have each lifted the European Cup five times and are second in their domestic leagues, there was little quality in front of goal.
“It’s not a dream result but it’s a good one and we can work with that. It’s not a game we will remember in 20 years, but it’s a result we have.”Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool manager
Liverpool, with Virgil Van Dijk suspended and Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez both injured, fielded fourth-choice centre-back Joel Matip and midfielder Fabinho in central defence.
The Reds had a scare in the 13th minute when Matip unwittingly diverted Serge Gnabry’s cross goalward from close range, and the ball bounced off goalkeeper Alisson Becker to safety. Bayern winger Kingsley Coman then sent a shot into the side-netting three minutes later.
Liverpool squandered chances when Mohamed Salah headed wide from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delivery and Sadio Mane shot wide on the turn. Mane also miscued an attempted overhead kick in front of the Bayern goal and Matip sent the ball wide from Roberto Firmino’s cutback before half-time.
“We had enough chances, I feel, especially in the first half, to score one or two,” said Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson.
Makeshift centre-back Fabinho made a well-timed tackle on Robert Lewandowski in the six-yard box, while Gnabry sent a shot fizzing over the bar from outside the box in the 59th minute as Bayern struggled to test Alisson.
Bayern ‘keeper Manuel Neuer preserved the clean sheet in the 85th by tipping Mane’s diving header over.
“We know they are a counter-attacking team ... to keep the ball in midfield, to not let them break through, was important,” said Gnabry after the game.
French Frustration for Barca’s Best
Messi failed to add to his six goals so far in the competition, while Suarez had the goal gaping but sliced a shot wide with 20 minutes left after latching on to Jordi Alba's pass from the left.
When wasteful Barca did hit the target, Lyon's goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was in fine form.
Containing the five-time champion in the return leg on March 13 may prove far harder for Lopes and his defense if Messi and Suarez are back to their best. However, coach Ernesto Valverde warned not to underestimate a Lyon side which won at Premier League champion Manchester City and was unbeaten in the group stage.
“We are strong at home but there’s no denying that 0-0 away from home is a dangerous result. My feeling is that we played well, we were switched on. I think that we deserved a better result and did enough to win. It just wasn’t our night.”Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona manager
When Messi picked out Sergio Busquets five minutes from the end, the midfielder's rasping shot from the edge of the penalty area was expertly tipped over by Lopes – the French league's standout goalie this season.
“Lyon played well but their keeper was very good,” Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet said.
Messi had the goal in his sights in the last minute, but struck his free kick into the wall and did the same with the rebound.
Both goalkeepers did well, with Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen making two fine saves inside the first 10 minutes from midfielder Houssem Aouar and forward Martin Terrier.
Lyon coach Bruno Genesio acknowledged his side got off somewhat lightly.
“We gave them the ball back too quickly and that meant we were on the receiving end of wave after wave of attacks,” Genesio said. “We conceded too many opportunities for my liking in the second half.”
(With inputs from AP)
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