Harry Kane (32, Bayern Munich) was selected as the Player of the Match (POTM).
Bayern Munich won 2-0 against Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) Round of 16 away match at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, at 5 a.m. (Korean time) on the 12th. After winning the first leg 3-0, Bayern confirmed their advance to the quarterfinals with a total score of 5-0.
On this day, Bayern deployed their best lineup. Bayern had previously won 3-0 against Leverkusen in the first leg, but they lost 2-3 when they rested several starters in the league match against VfL Bochum over the weekend. Thanks to the rotation in league matches, they were able to utilize all of their key players.
Bayern placed Harry Kane at the forefront, with Kingsley Coman, Michael Olise, and Jamal Musiala in the second line. The midfield featured Konrad Laimer and Leon Goretzka. The back four consisted of Alphonso Davies, Kim Min-jae, Dayot Upamecano, and Joshua Kimmich. The starting goalkeeper was Jonas Urbig.
Excluding Manuel Neuer, who was injured celebrating a goal in the first leg, this was practically the best lineup. Meanwhile, Leverkusen was affected by the absence of key striker Florian Wirtz due to injury, which hurt their attacking power.
Bayern, already holding a 3-0 advantage, displayed stable management from the early stages of the match. Leverkusen attempted to leverage height in their attack centered around Patrick Schick at the forefront; however, Kim Min-jae made several crucial defensive plays to thwart their advances.
Leverkusen faced a setback when Mario Hermoso was substituted due to injury in the 38th minute. In the 44th minute during a corner kick situation, Schick's header hit the post but did not result in a goal. Just before halftime, they had a counterattack opportunity, but Kim Min-jae successfully blocked it with amazing speed, and the first half ended in a 0-0 tie.
As soon as the second half began, Bayern scored the opening goal. In the 53rd minute, Kimmich took the free kick from the opponent's half, with Kim Min-jae, Kane, and Upamecano making runs towards the goal. Kim Min-jae pulled the opposing defense away, creating space that Kane utilized to finish easily and take the lead.
Bayern solidified their advantage with an additional goal from Alphonso Davies in the 71st minute. Throughout the match, Kim Min-jae demonstrated solid defensive skills, thoroughly neutralizing Leverkusen's key striker Jeremie Frimpong. Ultimately, the match concluded with Bayern's 2-0 victory.
The best player of the match was Kane, who recorded one goal and one assist. He played for about 84 minutes, showcasing not only his attacking contributions, including four shots, a 79% passing accuracy (11/14), three chances created, four touches inside the opponent's box, five passes in the attacking area, one successful tackle, one clearance, two interceptions, and three ball recoveries, but also his commitment in both offensive and defensive roles.
After the match, UEFA named Harry Kane as the Player of the Match (POTM). A UEFA technical observer noted, "He showed excellent movement and worked hard even without the ball. He scored one goal and assisted another, contributing to the team's victory," explaining the reasons for selecting Kane.
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