Guardiola: Escaping with a black eye

Tough games either give people heart attacks or a motivation boost. As for Pep Guardiola and Bayern Munich might be the healthy variant. It won't have any impact that the message after the thrilling duel against a courageous Juventus Turin (4-2/6-4 on aggregate) was: Guardiola and Bayern escaped with a black eye.

The Bavarians and Guardiola's dream of winning the Champions League is still alive. This Friday Bayern and Guardiola will know who is next. And until the quarterfinals of Europe's premier club competition, the 2015 German champions and their Spanish coach can think about what to do to shore up the gigantic holes in the defense. Depending on the next opponent, this is an urgent issue.

When it comes to a possible final, against Barcelona and the one every football fan around the globe is waiting for, it will be a case of life or death. If Guardiola and Bayern can't solve their problem, they won't be first to cross the finish line.

Until then, Guardiola and Bayern Munich will have to go on with a dance on the high wire without a safety net. This has been caused not only by the fact that Guardiola is leaving the German club next summer to join Manchester City. Last week, everyone could see what will follow his last months like a shadow, the discussion if Guardiola can still invest all he has to give for Bayern.

In Amsterdam the 45-year-old Spaniard met officials of Manchester City and the agents of players he wants for the Premier League club next season. It was Guardiola's day-off but Bayern Munich and Guardiola had to fight against a wave of indignation. Guardiola was accused of not only working for the club that currently pays his wages, but for a club he is trying to shape as the possible next big rival of Bayern Munich.

"Pep Guardiola is free to do what he wants on his days off," said Bayern Munich's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummnigge. And Guardiola himself came up with an unusual comparison by saying: "I'm like a woman and can concentrate on two things at one time." And honestly who would, after this tremendous performance, mistrust Guardiola's rare ability? Looking at the coach standing on the pitch you saw a man like a maniac preacher. Guardiola was jumping around like a hob goblin, talking and gesticulating wilder that human beings were known for, until now.

Instead of the big crisis, Guardiola's era in Munich could now conclude with a happy end. For the first time in over 40 years, Bayern managed to turn an almost lost game into a victory. "Games like this create an enormous team spirit. But we can't deny that Juve were unlucky to lose in the end," said Rummenigge.

Again you can call Juventus an underdog with a lot of potential to surprise. Remember 2015. Who back then bet money on the Italians when they were facing giants Real Madrid in the semifinal? Italy's football wasn't regarded as a real threat anymore. But Juventus made it into the final after a 3-1 victory on aggregate. This time they surprised with an unexpected pressing from the first minute on.

What worked well in Juve's tactical concept until the last 15 minutes was to block Bayern's men along the flanks, Ribery and Costa. And more: Juventus managed to force mistakes by Bayern's insecure defense by attacking Bayern high up the pitch.

When Juventus star Patrice Evra said before kick-off, "We know where Bayern's weakness lies", his statement was regarded as some sort of psychological warfare that not many took seriously. On the pitch, his statement seemed to be spot on as Bayern were not in the game until the 75th minute.

Before the game, Bayern's injured defensive players, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber and Javier Martinez, seemed to be nothing to bother about anymore. Not even when the news was announced before the game that Arjen Robben would not be playing because of an adductor injury, nobody was seriously concerned.

But Bayern did not manage to deliver enough passes from midfield and crosses to set up its star strikers despite having 80 percent of possession. Bayern were shocked after Pogba (5th) and Cuadrado (28th) put Juve 2-0 up. Their defense was all at sea. Their game had not enough speed. Up front they were unable to find gaps in Juve's defense (5-4-1), until Robert Lewandowski's goal (73rd) all of a sudden opened the doors.

Thomas Mueller (90th), Thiago and Kingsley Coman finished off the toughest job so far. In sending on Thiago and Coman, Guardiola changed the course of the game. At first of course he had to rectify his defense (Benatia and Alonso).

Now and for the time being, until the next round takes place in April, Bayern fans can talk about the effect Guardiola coaching has had so far. With the Spaniard in charge, Bayern Munich's football has been more attractive than ever before, lacking outstanding international success though. But after he lost the 2014 and 2015 semifinals against Real Madrid (0-5 on aggregate) and Barcelona (3-5 on aggregate), one thing was clear: To be eliminated as early as in the round of the last 16 would have come close to being a catastrophe.

"Something like that can create great motivation. It's something we have to keep in mind," said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm. Endit