Guardiola splits trousers as Bayern Munich tear into Porto
German champions stage miracle comeback as manager comes apart at the seams in the excitement
Bayern Munich 6 Porto 1 [Bayern win 7-4 on agg].
Porto came apart at the seams on Tuesday evening and so did Pep Guardiola, though fortunately the damage to the Bayern Munich manager proved far less superficial than that inflicted by his team on their Portuguese opponents.
Bayern thrashed Porto 6-1 in the Champions League quarter final at the Allianz Arena, overturning a 3-1 first-leg deficit and so exciting their manager that his trousers split open. Undeterred the Spaniard continued to prowl the touchline, sending Bayern fans into ever greater raptures as the 44-year-old revealed his navy blue y-fronts and even a bit of bare skin.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Yet the wardrobe malfunction was the only thing that didn't go according to plan for Guardiola on an evening that he described as being "about life or death".
It wasn't, of course, it was just a game of football that Bayern had to win convincingly if they were to make it into the last four of the Champions League. And win convincingly they did, scoring five goals in an extraordinary first-half. Thiago Alcantara opened the fun on 14 minutes, and Jerome Boateng doubled the advantage soon after to level the aggregate score.
Robert Lewandowski scored the first of his two goals on 27 minutes to put Bayern ahead in the tie and added a second five minutes before the break. Sandwiched inside his brace was a strike from Thomas Muller as Bayern battered their visitors beyond recognition.
Jackson Martinez got a consolation goal for Porto in the second-half but the last word was Bayern's, Xabi Alonso scored from a free-kick two minutes before the end after Ivan Marcano had been sent off for a second bookable offence.
"I am the coach of extraordinary players, I didn't expect such a first-half" admitted Guardiola, who warned the world that there is more to come from his side. "We can still play better. We lost the ball here and there and we can improve on that."
The thrashing was Porto's first defeat in this season's Champions League and coach Julen Lopetegui conceded that his side froze in the first-half. "It just turned bad very early on and it became difficult for us to play our game against such a good team," he explained. "We lost the game in those 20 minutes in the first half. We tried to change things in the second half and I think we improved a bit but it was too late."
Lopetegui tipped Bayern as "the favourite to win the title" and on the evidence of Tuesday night's display it will take some performance to derail the Bayern juggernaut. Even their players were surprised by the quality of their football against Porto with Thomas Muller admitting that "we all had hopes, but no one expected that".
Asked what had inspired the performance, Robert Lewandowski replied: "We are FC Bayern Munich. We knew we had to step on the gas, but to go five goals up at half-time is really crazy."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 ladylike cartoons about women's role in the election
Cartoons Artists take on the political gender gap, Lady Liberty, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The right to die: what can we learn from other countries?
The Explainer A look at the world's assisted dying laws as MPs debate Kim Leadbeater's proposed bill
By The Week Published
-
Volkswagen on the ropes: a crisis of its own making
Talking Point The EV revolution has 'left VW in the proverbial dust'
By The Week UK Published
-
The 'Swiss model' shaking up the Champions League
In The Spotlight Uefa says the new format offers 'greater excitement' but critics say boredom is guaranteed
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
‘Genuine visionary’: is Pep Guardiola the greatest of all time?
feature Spaniard has now won two trebles following Man City’s Champions League triumph
By The Week Staff Published
-
Champions League final: Man City vs. Inter predictions and preview
feature Can Guardiola’s team finally win the Champions League and complete a historic treble?
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Uefa Champions League 2022-2023 guide: group stage draw and key dates
feature Liverpool face Rangers while Man City’s Erling Haaland has a reunion with Dortmund
By Mike Starling Published
-
Uefa Champions League final: blame game begins for chaos in Paris
feature Liverpool call for an investigation as Uefa are accused of a ‘narrative of lies’
By Mike Starling Published
-
2022 Uefa Champions League final: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid preview, predictions and TV
feature Everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s showpiece in Paris
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Karim Benzema: Panenkas, hat-tricks and a Ballon d’Or?
Why Everyone’s Talking About Real Madrid’s French striker was sensational yet again in the Champions League
By Mike Starling Published
-
Champions League: ‘what a night, what delirium’ as Real Madrid knock out Chelsea
feature Karim Benzema’s extra-time header puts Real through after a stirring comeback from holders Chelsea
By Mike Starling Published