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Bayern make it 15 straight wins in the Champions League

Jonathan Harding
November 25, 2020

Bayern Munich sealed their spot in the knockout rounds with a routine win over RB Salzburg in Munich. Despite a tricky first half and having a man sent off, Hansi Flick's side found a way to win again.

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Bayern celebrate a goal
Image: Andreas Gebert/REUTERS

Bayern 3-1 Salzburg, Allianz Arena
(Lewandowski 43', Wöber o.g. 52', Sané 68' — Berisha 73')

On a night when most of the football world remembered the beauty Diego Maradona brought to the game, Bayern Munich rode the solid not spectacular road to their 15th straight Champions League victory. The win also secures Bayern's spot in the knockout rounds.

Goal number 71 in the Champions League for Robert Lewandowski moved him third all-time in the competition's scorer list. It was a scrappy goal, a rebound that good strikers are usually in the right place to score. It was also a goal that flattered Bayern.

Hansi Flick's side was unusually sloppy and, as they were in the first meeting, Bayern were troubled by Salzburg's aggressive style of play. Had highly-regarded youngster Dominik Szoboszlai not blazed over in front of Manuel Neuer, the game might have turned out differently.

Bayern and Salzburg stand for Maradona
There was a moment's silence before the game in memory MaradonaImage: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Same Bayern, different game

The same might have been true had Maximilian Wöber not deflected Kingsley Coman's shot past his own keeper, but in truth Bayern didn't look like losing. Even after Marc Roca was sent off for a second yellow just after the hour mark, the hosts just looked in enough control.

A repeat of thespectacular performance that saw Bayern score six in Salzburg this was not, but it still felt like many Bayern wins before it.

A youngster — Chris Richards — got better as the game went on, Leroy Sané scored off the bench and Neuer made a couple of incredible saves.

Far from perfect but brilliant and fortunate when it mattered, this was the other face of Hanis Flick's Bayern, the one where a confident Bayern just win rather than roaring and rolling over the opposition in a dominant performance.

After all, when you win 14 straight in the Champions League, the 15th is much closer.