Youth League: Bayern Edge Barcelona to Reach Semifinals
Synopsis
FC Bayern Munich's U-19 team secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over FC Barcelona in the UEFA Youth League quarterfinals at the FC Bayern Campus on Wednesday. With this result, Bayern advanced to the semifinals of the competition, while Barcelona's European campaign came to an end.
Match Summary
Bayern started the match brightly and took an early lead through Arijon Ibrahimovic in the 10th minute. Barcelona responded well and equalized through Lamine Yamal in the 25th minute. The first half ended with both teams level at 1-1.
The second half was equally competitive, with both teams creating chances. Bayern regained the lead in the 55th minute through Paul Wanner, but Barcelona once again showed their resilience and equalized through Angel Alarcon in the 70th minute.
With the match seemingly destined for extra time, Bayern struck a decisive blow in the 88th minute. Substitute Nemanja Motika scored the winning goal to send Bayern through to the semifinals.
Key Moments
- 10' - GOAL! Arijon Ibrahimovic gives Bayern an early lead.
- 25' - GOAL! Lamine Yamal equalizes for Barcelona.
- 55' - GOAL! Paul Wanner restores Bayern's advantage.
- 70' - GOAL! Angel Alarcon levels the score for Barcelona.
- 88' - GOAL! Nemanja Motika scores the winning goal for Bayern.
Reaction
Bayern coach Danny Schwarz was delighted with his team's performance. "We played very well today and deserved to win," he said. "We showed great character to come back from behind twice."
Barcelona coach Sergi Milá was disappointed with the result but praised his players for their effort. "We gave it our all, but it wasn't enough today," he said. "Bayern were the better team and deserved to win."
Next Fixtures
Bayern will now face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the semifinals of the UEFA Youth League. The match will be played on April 26th at a venue to be determined.