Bayern Munich’s 3-1 opening win over Chelsea in the Champions League was a historic game, not just because this was the first time a team had inflicted defeat on the current world champions. It was also a monumental occasion for captain Manuel Neuer, who became only the fourth player to ever win 100 Champions League games.
Neuer achieved this feat in his 151th appearance in the Champions League. Only three other players have won 100 Champions League games — Cristiano Ronaldo (115), Iker Casillas (101),
and Neuer’s former teammate Thomas Müller (111) per @iMiaSanMia.
Müller got his own 100th win two seasons ago, also in the opening match of the season, and also against a Premier League team – a 4-3 win home over Manchester United. Even the great Lionel Messi has not won 100 Champions League games. Ronaldo and Casillas got theirs in Juventus’ 1-0 win over Valencia and FC Porto’s 3-2 win over Galatasaray, respectively, both in 2018.
Neuer (and Müller) have won two Champions League titles, both of them trebles, in 2013 and 2020.
As a side note, Neuer also became Bayern’s oldest player to play in the Champions League at 39 years and 174 days, overtaking previous record holder Lothar Matthäus.
Bayern Munich hosted Chelsea in one of the most intriguing matchups on the second round of Matchday 1 in the Champions League’s League Phase.
The Bavarians were able to tough out a rugged 3-1 victory in a match that was not all that pleasing to the eye. Harry Kane’s brace and an own goal from Chelsea paced Bayern Munich. While Chelsea did some good things (including a terrific first half counterattack for a goal), the Londoners did not have enough gas in the tank to keep up with the German powerhouse.
Let’s get into the details, this is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:
- A look at the starting XI.
- A rundown of the scoring and substitutions.
- Some final thoughts and takeaways on the match.
Also, be sure to stay tuned to Bavarian Podcast Works for all of your up to date coverage on Bayern Munich and Germany. Check us out on Patreon and follow us on Twitter @BavarianFBWorks, @BavarianPodcast @TheBarrelBlog, @BFWCyler, @2012nonexistent, @TommyAdams71 and more.
