The crowd is filing into the Allianz Arena, the Champions League them song is playing over and over, and the starting line-ups for both sides are announced:
FOR BAYERN:
Neuer
Lahm - van Buyten - Boateng - Rafinha
Alaba - Tymochuk (?)
Ribery - Kroos - Robben
Gomez
FOR VILLARREAL:
Diego Lopez
Marchena - Oriol - Musacchio - Angel Lopez
Gaspar - Guzman - Perez - Soriano
Borja Valero - Marco Ruben
Some shocking calls in that Bayern line-up. Thomas, Gusatvo, Olic and Nils are all on the bench, so it doesn't appear to be due to injury. Perhaps with Zapata, Nilmar and Gonzalo Rod out for Villarreal, Jupp Heynckes felt we could work a slightly more unorthodox line-up. Still, I'm surprised neither Gusatvo nor Kroos is part of our CDM line (if what I'm seeing on uefa.com is accurate).
Should be an exciting match. It appears our defense will be called on more than might have been expected. Actually, just thought of something - maybe with Badstuber suspended, Heynckes wanted to keep Gusatvo available for CB duty in case of injury or fatigue.
Anyway, off we go. Viva viva FC Bayern!
* * * *
FC Bayern 3 - 1 Villarreal is your final. Bayern clinches first place in the toughest group in the whole competition.
Ribery with two very pretty goals, but Kroos was the man of the hour (in my opinion). Well-placed passes from several angles, and he ran the break flawlessly. Also, Alaba looked much, much better today than his last turn at CDM. All things considered, I feel a lot better about the Bastian-injury-period than I did last week.
Manchester City got beat again by Napoli, so FC Bayern secures first place. A big game this weekend vs. Mainz, though, with several clubs suddenly breathing down our necks in the Bundesliga.
This one has the first two goals - the Gomez goal looks legit, despite Villarreal claims for offside:
And this is De Guzman for Villarreal:
No shame in that, just a great play by Villarreal to put the ball right on the foot and then pick it out of mid-air.