Pep happy with Bayern’s slim advantage over Benfica

If Pep Guardiola’s men are going to send him off to Manchester City with the ultimate going away present, clearly the task won’t be easy.

Because a Champions League title is becoming increasingly challenging with every step now for Bayern Munich.

Needing an inspired comeback to get past Italian power Juventus in the round of 16, Bayern appeared to get a break with a favorable quarterfinal draw against Benfica.

But the path to the semifinals got much more complicated on Tuesday despite a 1-0 first-leg victory at the Allianz Arena.

The Bundesliga leader now has to venture to Portugal in eight days to protect the slimmest of leads after wasting perfectly fine scoring opportunities throughout the first 90 minutes of its quarterfinal tie.

Early on, it looked like Bayern was in store for a walkover. Just two minutes into the game, the German side grabbed a 1-0 lead when Arturo Vidal got his head on the end of Juan Bernat’s cross and beat goalkeeper Ederson.

But even though Bayern continued to dictate play in the first half, all it had to show for its 8-2 shots advantage and 61-percent possession was the one-goal halftime lead against a Benfica defense that Guardiola hailed as the best in Europe.

Bayern needed the best goalkeeper on the planet to keep Benfica off the scoresheet in the 57th minute.

Manuel Neuer stood tall to come up big and turn away a point-blank strike by Jonas, Benfica’s leading goal scorer, who then suffered further insult a minute later by picking up a yellow card and a suspension for the return leg.

The Brazilian forward threatened again in the 64th minute when he got on the end of a low cross into the box and side-footed his one-timed shot at goal. This time, substitute center back Javi Martinez blocked Jonas’ shot with his body to preserve Bayern’s lead.

Missed chances continued to be the story as the game approached the final whistle. Bayern Munich should have added a second goal in the 89th minute when Vidal slipped a perfectly weighted through-ball to Robert Lewandowski, but the Polish striker inexplicably opted not to shoot against a helpless Ederson.

Lewandowski’s errant pass to Philipp Lahm was struck too hard, his poor decision wasting a 2-on-1 opportunity against the keeper.

Guardiola said before the game that a 2-0 victory would’ve been ideal. But now, his Bayern Munich will have to navigate through the dangers and unforeseen obstacles of a second leg away from home.

No, nothing is coming easy at all in the Champions League for Pep and Bayern.

-Pep Happy-

Benfica striker Jonas, who misses the second leg through suspension, twice went close to scoring a priceless away goal, but Bayern’s backline remained resolute and Guardiola was satisfied with the tight victory, picking out winger Franck Ribery for particular praise.

“It was a hard game, but I am happy with our game,” Guardiola told the media after the match.

“Benfica have a lot of quality. Ribery played extraordinarily well today. In the knockout stage the more important game is the second one which we will play in Lisbon.

“I have watched many Benfica games during the last few days. They are a really strong side and so I am happy.”

When asked if he believes a 1-0 lead is a dangerous scoreline to take into the second leg, Guardiola denied that was necessarily the case.

“That depends on our performance in Lisbon. We will head there with the intention of winning,” the Spaniard said.

“When you get to the Champions League quarter-finals, it’s always the second leg that’s key.”

Report by Joe Lago/FC Yahoo and OmniSport