Tip Of The Cap: Thomas Müller. This game was vintage Tommy. He didn't display any Sports Center Top Ten moves on the pitch, but he gave it his all and teamed up well with Robert Lewandowski to generate much of the Bayern attack. He led the team in shots and seemed to own a timeshare in the Barca attacking zone. His goal in the 73rd minute to put Bayern up was a big feather in the cap for many of the fans both in Munich and abroad. It sealed Bayern's unbeaten home streak in the Champions League and even though they might not have advanced to the final, they still won the game.
Golf Clap: Robert Lewandowski. Bayern's strategy in this game seemed to be to keep your foot on the gas pedal and never let up. Lewa bought into this strategy and played it to perfection. He constantly peppered Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen with shots, forcing him to make some spectacular saved and keep Barca in this game. Lewa would eventually break through in the 58th minute to equalize the match at 2-2 and breathe new life into Bayern. His effort level and toughness in playing this match with a protective mask is a very good sign for Bayern Munich going forward. He is primed for a huge season.
Standing Ovation: Mehdi Benatia. It's rare to see a brand new transfer come in to a club like Bayern Munich with a rich history and a rabid fan support and ingratiate himself so fully into his new squad. This game was a turning point for Benatia. In the biggest match of the year, he played with no fear and was equally strong on either end of the pitch. His goal in the 6th minute whipped the Südkurve into a frenzy and really energized his squad. Benatia had a game high seven interceptions and nine clearances on defense, led all Bayern players in passing accuracy, and managed to have the second most shots. The arrow is pointing up for Benatia, which should give the Bayern faithful a big reason to be optimistic for next autumn.
Meister Of The Match: Bastian Schweinsteiger. Basti has been battling injuries throughout this season, no doubt due to the toll the World Cup took on the 30 year old. Who can forget his performance in the final against Argentina? He threw his body around with reckless abandon, doing anything and everything to will his team to victory. His performance against Barca reminded me a lot of that game. Even though his squad was missing arguably three of it's best five players and being down 3-0 on aggregate, Bastian Schweinsteiger refused to let his team go out with a whimper. He had two assists in this game, completed 93% of his passes and took his leadership role on the field very much to heart. Bayern may not have advanced from this round, but Basti's play was one of the reasons why Bayern could walk out of the Allianz with their heads held high.