Bayern Munich look set to survive the new Champions League playoffs round. AC Milan joined Atalanta and Monaco losing their first-leg games Wednesday.
Bayern got high-class strikes from Michael Olise and Harry Kane either side of halftime in a 2-1 win at Scottish champion Celtic. The return game is Tuesday in Munich.
“The (Celtic) fans haven’t seen many losses here, especially in Europe, so we appreciate the importance of the game and the victory,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.
Bayern had joined Real Madrid and Manchester City as Champions League title winners in the past five years who surprisingly found themselves in the playoffs because they finished outside the top eight in the new 36-team single standings format. Madrid won 3-2 in Manchester on Tuesday.
Feyenoord’s goal in a rain-soaked 1-0 win over Milan came in the third minute and relied in France goalkeeper Mike Maignan spilling Igor Paixão’s shot into the net. Feyenoord’s Brazilian winger gave Milan new signing Kyle Walker a tough first game in the competition for the seven-time European champion.
It also was a quick winning start for Feyenoord’s interim coach Pascal Bosschaart in his first game after the firing Monday of Brian Priske.
Benfica won 1-0 at Monaco with another goal from Vangélis Pavlídis, a delicate chip shot in the 48th. Monaco had Al Musrati sent off four minutes later.
Club Brugge scored with a disputed penalty kick in stoppage time to beat Atalanta 2-1. That was a meeting of teams that finished 24th and ninth, respectively, in the 36-team standings two weeks ago.
The top eight teams in those standings advanced direct to the round of 16 in March, leaving Nos. 9 to 24 to compete this month for eight more entries in playoffs over back-to-back midweeks.
Kane vs Schmeichel
Harry Kane loves scoring against Kasper Schmeichel, his longtime rival in Tottenham vs Leicester and England vs Denmark games.
Bayern star Kane’s sharp volley in the 49th, when left unmarked at the back post at a corner, was his 19th career goal past Schmeichel, more than any other goalkeeper he has faced.
It was a second impressive goal conceded by Schmeichel, who was helpless against Michael Olise’s rising left-footed shot in the 45th.
On a tough evening for Celtic’s all-American central defense of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty, the Scottish champion has more hope next Tuesday thanks to Japan forward Daizen Maeda cutting the deficit late on.
“At 2-1, Bayern are hanging on,” Celtic coach Brendan Rodgers said. “Let’s go and have no regrets and see where it takes us. We’ve shown we can play football and be a threat.”
Pavlídis hot streak
Benfica’s Greece forward might be the most in-form striker in the Champions League. It is now six goals in the competition and five in the past three games including a hat trick against Barcelona.
The 26-year-old Pavlidis latched onto a pass from the halfway line and shrugged off defender Mohammed Salisu before neatly clipping the ball over goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki in the 48th minute.
Benfica’s win was soured by another injury for veteran winger Angel Di Maria. The 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina lasted 20 minutes as a substitute before sustaining a left hamstring injury. He pulled up near the penalty area and immediately lay on the ground.
It was Benfica’s second win in Monaco, adding to a 3-2 victory in November in the league phase.
Atalanta anger in Brugge
A late light-touch clash between two Sweden teammates was decisive in Club Brugge’s 2-1 win over Atalanta.
Entering stoppage time, Atalanta defender Isak Hien was judged to have raised a hand into the face of Brugge forward Gustaf Nilsson as they chased a loose ball.
Turkish referee Umut Meler awarded a penalty and showed yellow cards to three Atalanta players, including Hien, for protesting before Nilsson won the game. He sent goalkeeper Rui Patricio the wrong way with his spot kick.
“We are now going in a direction outside of what football should be,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told broadcaster Sky Italia of the penalty decision, “but beyond the controversy we now have to accept these rules that I no longer recognize.”
Brugge had led on former Barcelona forward Ferran Jutglà‘s shot in the 15th minute and Atalanta levelled in the 41st on Mario Pašalić’s header.