Time to sign off – here’s our match report. Ciao!
Harry Kane: “A really tough week – we had good chances in the first half, but in the second half we had less energy, created less, and once you go down to 10 men, it’s difficult. We have to keep fighting; we’re still in the Bundesliga race, and we can still turn this tie around. One game, one spark can change things.”
Bayern’s league games before the second leg on 5 March are Bochum (A), Leipzig (H) and Freiburg (A). Games that will seem much trickier while form and confidence are low. As for Lazio, they have four games – Bologna (H), Torino (A), Fiorentina (A) and Milan (H) – as they try to muscle in on the top-four race.
This is a remarkable stat, but worth noting that Bayern did create good chances in the first half; it was a case of missing opportunities rather than a lack of creativity, at least until Upamecano was sent off.
17 - Bayern Munich had 17 shots against Lazio this evening, but none were on target - this is the most shots by any side on record (from 2003-04) in a UEFA Champions League fixture without one being on target. Uncalibrated. pic.twitter.com/5PO19OxETw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 14, 2024
Wow, I feel bad for all those idiots who thought Lazio had no chance tonight. They deserved their win, pressing relentlessly and restricting Bayern going forward, particularly in the second half. The visitors had 63% possession and 17 shots on goal – but none on target.
Full time! Lazio 1-0 Bayern Munich
Another tough night for Thomas Tuchel as Ciro Immobile’s second-half penalty earns Lazio a first-leg edge. Dayot Upamecano conceded the spot-kick and was sent off for a bad challenge on Gustav Isaksen; he will miss the second leg in three weeks’ time, where the heat will really be on in Munich.
93 mins: Pedro turns and shoots straight at Neuer, while Kim complains to the referee that he was elbowed by Romagnoli.
92 mins: Musiala is still trying to make something happen, and Patric has to be alert to stop him bursting into the area. Bayern aren’t pushing numbers forward, though.
90 mins: Five added minutes. Can Bayern make Lazio pay for that missed chance? Not here, with Musiala unable to find Kane, who has been surrounded pretty much all night.
89 mins: What a chance for Lazio to get a second! Guendouzi plays it forward to Castellanos, who lays the ball off perfectly into Anderson’s path. He really has to hit it first time, but instead takes a touch and allows Kim to get back and charge down his shot.
87 mins: The two substitutes almost combine for Bayern, with Tel’s cross finding Choupo-Moting, whose header across goal is cleared behind. The corner sails straight to Provedel, though.
85 mins: Kane’s free kick is blocked by Kamada in the wall, much to Provedel’s delight. Bayern get a corner, but it’s cleared away with Kim threatening to connect.
84 mins: And now Bayern have a dangerous free kick as Guendouzi dices with danger, bringing down Kane about 25 yards from goal …
83 mins: Guendouzi gets away from his man and carries the ball downfield, then appeals for handball after Anderson’s cross is blocked. No dice …
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81 mins: And two changes for Bayern, with Sane and Muller replaced by Mathys Tel and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. It’s last-roll-of-the-dice stuff.
80 mins: Two more Lazio changes, with Luis Alberto replaced by Daichi Kamada and Patric coming on for the impressive Mario Gila in defence …
Here’s the penalty, converted by Ciro Immobile.
COOL from the spot 😎
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 14, 2024
Ciro Immobile with a brilliant penalty to give Lazio the lead ✨#UCL pic.twitter.com/BhW1uPsqH2
It’s 2-0 to PSG, Bradley Barcola getting the hosts’ second goal. Is the round of PSG about to become the round of Bayern Munich?
76 mins: Mazraoui – who, strangely, has been Bayern’s biggest threat in the second half – connects with Muller’s deep cross at the byline, but can’t pull the ball back into Kane’s path.
74 mins: Immobile and Isaksen are taken off, replaced by Pedro and Taty Castellanos. Sarri should be thinking about getting a second goal here, to really apply some pressure before the second leg in Munich.
72 mins: Now Bayern have to find an equaliser while a man down. They win a corner, from which Kim heads over. Matthijs de Ligt comes on for Goretzka as Tuchel plugs the gap in his defence.
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That all came from a Lazio breakaway, led by Anderson, with Immobile twisting and turning to try and get a shot away. When he did, it deflected into Isaken’s path – and as he hit his shot, Upamecano planted his boot on his ankle. It didn’t look that bad in real time, but replays show it was a fair decision.
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GOAL! Lazio 1-0 Bayern Munich (Immobile 69' pen)
Ciro Immobile steps up after a long delay while Bayern argued the decision – and Kimmich was booked. He sends Neuer the wrong way, stroking the ball into the corner – and now Bayern are in trouble!
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Lazio penalty, and red card for Upamecano!
Dayot Upamecano is sent off for a foul on Isaksen in the area, and the referee awards the hosts a penalty!
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64 mins: Musiala has switched sides with Sane and from the right, almost picks out the overlapping Mazraoui at the near post – but the all-action Guendouzi is back to cut out the ball and win a free kick.
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62 mins: The game feels like it’s caught in a holding pattern, Bayern less adventurous in this half and Lazio unwilling to apply any more attacking pressure. Plenty of subs out warming up for both sides.
A goal! But not here! In the other game! It’s … you know who.
60 mins: Tuchel is now out on the touchline, trying to shake his players into life. Lazzarri will slot in at right-back for Lazio, with Marusic moving over to the left.
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58 mins: Hysaj is down again, a cloud of magic physio spray around him. I’m not sure that will be enough – indeed, he’s now being replaced by Manuel Lazzari.
57 mins: Kane shows just how quickly that could change, getting a hefty header on Muller’s cross from a good 12 yards out that loops over the bar.
55 mins: Bayern are holding the ball but not doing much with it; in the dugout, Thomas Tuchel has his head in his hands. Cheer up Tommy, it’s still 0-0.
53 mins: Lazio left-back Elseid Hysaj has gone down off the ball, possibly having tweaked a muscle while running upfield.
51 mins: Lazio get back in numbers and Bayern opt to build possession, to a soundtrack of whistles. The ball breaks to Mazraoui, and his low cross is cleared away with Muller and Musiala waiting to pounce.
49 mins: Lazio have started the second half with plenty of attacking purpose, and Felipe Anderson wins a corner, which skids just over Gila’s head. A second corner is cleared, and Bayern can break …
47 mins: Big chance for Lazio! The high press pays off as Upamecano is shunted off the ball by Luis Alberto, who then turns and plays Isaksen in on goal. The winger takes a tentative extra touch before shooting, and Neuer is there to block with his legs!
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Second half
We’re back under way and Kimmich, who ended the first half complaining about a challenge from Immobile, is promptly put on the deck by Felipe Anderson.
More ironic footballers: “How about Claudio Gentile?” offers Andy Cooper (and others). “Sure many a forward would agree.” James Humphries nominates Damien Duff – “actually really good” – and Swindon’s Danny Invincibile – “not invincible, but pretty reliable”.
It’s also goalless in Paris, where another European heavyweight are being put to the test – it’s PSG 0-0 Real Sociedad at half-time.
Ironic footballer names corner
“Dominique Dropsy played in goal for France,” writes Richard Franks (and others), while Joe Pearson puts forward Curtis Good. “Just two appearances for Newcastle, and five for Dundee United. Pretty sure he could still run circles around me, though.”
Half time: Lazio 0-0 Bayern Munich
An intriguing first half, and positives for both sides to take – but no goals yet. Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane have gone close for Bayern, while Lazio grew into the game as a counterattacking threat.
45 mins: Lazio are offering more of a threat on the break, and Guendouzi again sets Isaksen away down the right. With Immobile covered, he pulls it back to Guendouzi, whose cross-shot is thudded clear by Kim.
43 mins: Immobile is shepherded away from goal by Upamecano, and when the ball goes out it’s a Bayern throw-in, much to the striker’s chagrin.
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42 mins: At the other end, Guendouzi tees up Isaksen, who gets the better of Guerreiro but cuts it back too sharply for Immobile to get a shot on goal.
40 mins: Big chance for Bayern! This is the clearest opening of the game, created by crafty interplay from Sane and Goretzka, who plays in Musiala. Eight yards out and bearing down on goal, he fires over the bar!
39 mins: Provedel gets away with a shoddy pass out, which Muller turns into Kane’s path. He is crowded out before the flag eventually goes up for offside.
38 mins: Isaksen, probably Lazio’s brightest attacking spark so far, cuts in and sends an ambitious curling effort wide of the far post.
36 mins: Musiala, probably Bayern’s brightest attacking spark so far, bustles to the byline and looks for Kane – but Luis Alberto gets back to cut out the cross.
35 mins: Muller looks for Kane with two crosses in quick succession, both cleared away by Lazio’s diligent centre-back pairing.
33 mins: Maurizio Sarri, specs perched atop his head, issues instructions to his players at a throw-in. From it, Felipe Anderson volleys the ball across the field to Isaksen, who is too isolated to make anything happen.
30 mins: Bayern get a free-kick right on the edge of the area, and Kane is standing over it – but he runs over the ball and Goretzka pings it to Muller, who stops it dead for Sane to hit … and it’s just wide! A lovely setup there, straight off the training ground.
28 mins: Muller slips the ball into Mazraoui, who should return the favour but instead tries to cut the ball inside to Kane. Bayern keep pinging it around, before Upamecano decides to shoot from 30 yards out. He might have found Row Z even in this cavernous arena.
26 mins: Guendouzi turns away from Kimmich, who clips his ankle with a late lunge at the ball. Frustration creeping in, with Bayern repeatedly running aground in the final third.
25 mins: This has been an entertaining watch so far, and Lazio get bonus points for shirts that are a) sponsorless and b) made by 90s leisurewear icons Mizuno.
24 mins: Muller mithers the referee after being fouled, but flagged offside beforehand.
“Forgive this half-baked attempt at lazy, er, Lazio journalism, but Immobile is one of the greatest ever ironic names for a footballer, especially for a striker,” notes Peter Oh.
“The only other one that comes close is 80s Brazil legend Careca (‘careca’ means ‘bald’ in Portuguese), whose nickname belied his full head of curly hair.” There must be more examples – anyone?
21 mins: Luis Alberto’s pass goes astray but the hosts quickly win it back from Muller. Guendouzi and Cataldi combine before Alberto fizzes a shot just over the bar from 20 yards out.
20 mins: Lazio’s defence are sitting fairly deep but pressing in numbers, and they break up another Bayern attack here, much to the delight of the home crowd.
18 mins: Musiala motors down the left but is held up by two sky-blue shirts; he goes over hopefully but the referee, Francois Letexier, waves play on.
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17 mins: Centre-backs Romagnoli and Gila are up for it and the former gets his head to the corner, but it lacks any power and bounces through to Neuer.
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16 mins: Lazio get upfield and Immobile’s diagonal ball out to Isaksen is deflected out for a throw in. From there, Guendouzi gets to the byline and wins a corner …
14 mins: Kimmich’s cross is brought down by Musiala, who is penalised for nudging Marusic out of his path. Kane hits the post with the loose ball, but the whistle had already gone.
13 mins: Muller’s attempted scoop into Kane’s path is just overhit as Bayern seek the right combination to unlock this defence.
It’s still goalless in Paris – you can follow PSG v Real Sociedad over here with Barry Glendenning.
11 mins: Neuer collects the ball under pressure from Immobile. It’s been a fairly even start, albeit with Bayern carving out the two clearest chances.
9 mins: Musiala, who is stationed on the left wing, gets forward and his cross is deflected behind for a corner – from which Mazraoui shanks an awkward half-volley wide.
8 mins: Luis Alberto goes down rubbing his knee in midfield, although it doesn’t look like anything too serious.
6 mins: A first sight of goal for Kane, picked out brilliantly by Muller’s volleyed cross but just unable to keep his shot down as the ball flashed into his path.
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5 mins: A chipped delivery into the box doesn’t ruffle any feathers and although Lazio win the ball back, it ends up floating through to Neuer.
4 mins: Lazio patiently move the ball around before Isaksen cuts infield and is brought down by Goretzka. Free kick for the hosts …
2 mins: Bayern, who are in their futuristic black and purple away kits, get the first opportunity. Sane cuts back to the edge of the area, where Kimmich sends a first-time shot wide of the far post.
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Peep!
We’re under way to a dramatic backdrop of flags and flares.
A late change for Lazio: Vecino was injured in the warm-up so Cataldi gets his place back in midfield. There’s a raucous atmosphere inside the Stadio Olimpico as Lazio fans unveil a huge silvery tifo covering one end of the stadium.
And here’s Lazio midfielder Luis Alberto: “We must not be afraid; to play these Champions League games, you need to have a clear head. We must play our game and play with personality, as we know it will be difficult. If we leave them space, with the players they have, they will do a lot of damage.”
Thomas Tuchel with some pre-game thoughts: “We prepared in a very normal way, training first on the attacking phase and today on defending. We faced various situations, trying not to put excessive pressure on ourselves.
“The objective was to give the players the necessary information to prepare for a match like this. We do not need more pressure on such important nights.”
“I’ve put €2 on Lazio and all the soccer scribes make me feel it’s money down the drain,” writes John Mackenzie. “But I’m hoping Captain Ciro will bang a couple in and prove them wrong!”
Thomas Tuchel has scrapped the 3-4-3 setup which led to defeat at Leverkusen, switching back to a more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation. Eric Dier drops to the bench and Raphael Guerreiro is preferred to Sacha Boey at left-back, with Alphonso Davies injured. Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller, both on the bench for Saturday’s game, also return to the starting line-up.
Maurizio Sarri makes one change from the team that won 3-1 at Cagliari in Serie A on Saturday, with Matias Vecino replacing Danilo Cataldi in midfield. The Lazio line-up has plenty of experience, a couple of emerging talents in Mario Gila and winger Gustav Isaksen, and plenty of names familiar to Premier League viewers, from Felipe Anderson and Matteo Guendouzi to Pedro, who starts on the bench.
Team news
Lazio (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Mario Gila, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Guendouzi, Vecino, Luis Alberto; Isaksen, Immobile (c), Felipe Anderson.
Subs: Sepe, Magro, Patric, Casale, Cataldi, Kamada, Napolitano, Lazzari, Castellanos, Pedro.
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Neuer (c); Mazraoui, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sané, Müller, Musiala; Kane.
Subs: Ulreich, Schmitt, De Ligt, Dier, Boey, Tel, Pavlovic, Choupo-Moting, Zaragoza.
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Preamble
It’s a big night for football lovers, but there may not be much in the way of romance in Rome this evening. In town tonight are Bayern Munich, the kind of merciless winning machine whose every blip brings gasps of excitement from neutrals. Those malfunctions are becoming more frequent these days, and the last decade has seen just one Champions League final appearance, when they beat PSG at an empty Estádio da Luz in 2020.
Still, that is more than their hosts tonight have ever managed, and a glance at the outright odds (Bayern are 5-1, Lazio 150-1) suggests that even a half-baked Bayern side should be hot favourites to progress. Lazio finished second to Napoli in Serie A last season but like the champions, have struggled to repeat those heroics this term. Currently eighth in the table, Maurizio Sarri’s side have been consistently inconsistent, and would have hoped for a more navigable last-16 tie than this.
While the trophy has slipped through their grasp several times, Bayern have reached at least the quarter-finals in every season since 2010-11, save for a last-16 exit to Liverpool in 2019. Lazio last reached the Champions League’s last eight in the year 2000, and lost 6-2 to Bayern at this stage in 2020-21. History and form suggest a similar outcome this time, but true football romantics will still believe anything is possible. Kick-off: 8pm GMT.
