Neymar scored twice as Barcelona progressed to their first UEFA Champions League final since 2011 despite a 3-2 second-leg semi-final defeat at the Alianz Arena yesterday night.
A Lionel Messi double and Neymar’s strike at Camp Nou last Wednesday had given the Liga leaders a 3-0 lead after the first encounter and Bayern were unable to complete a remarkable fight back six days later despite a spirited display.
Medhi Benatia’s early header gave Bayern hope, but Pep Guardiola described his former club Barca as the best counter-attacking team in the world ahead of the game and they lived up to that billing at the Allianz Arena.
Luis Suarez laid on two goals for Neymar – who now has 37 for the season and had scored in his last seven matches – in the first half and, although Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller gave the Bundesliga champions victory on the night, the job had been done by Barca in the first leg.
It was Barca’s first defeat since February and they had not conceded for over 10 hours prior to Tuesday’s game, but they remain on course for a famous treble in Luis Enrique’s first season in charge, while Bayern have crashed out in the semi-finals two years running under Guardiola.
It was gladdening to see a Bayern side get revived and attempt to take the goal to their clever visitors, but time was the only enemy they had and a cautiously glad but filled Allianz was proof of that.
Barcelona’s success means the tantalising prospect of an ‘El Clasico’ showpiece in the 6 June final in Berlin remains alive.
Arch-rivals Real Madrid must overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Italian champions Juventus tonight for the opportunity to defend their European crown against Barca.
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