Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann admits his side deserved to lose their Champions League quarter-final first leg to Villarreal on Wednesday.
Arnaut Danjuma scored the game’s only goal in the eighth minute, and only a missed shot prevented the hosts from extending their lead to Germany in next week’s second leg.
The result marked the first time Bayern had failed to score in a Champions League game since February 2019 (0-0 against Liverpool), ending a streak of 30 consecutive games in which they had scored at least once. time.
Although Nagelsmann admitted Villarreal deserved to win, he still believes his side have what it takes to turn the tide.
“We deserved to lose. We weren’t good today. In the first half the defense lacked strength and we had few chances,” he told DAZN.
“The second half was a completely wild game. We lost control because we were desperate to score.
“I think they could have scored a few more goals against us, but it was 1-0. We didn’t play a good game today by any measure.
“But it’s only 1-0 and we have to show another side of ourselves in the second leg; we know how to do it and I think we will.”
Asked what was tactically wrong for his team, Nagelsmann pointed to the lack of intensity on the flanks.
“It’s a typical game against a Spanish team, which has good players and makes few mistakes,” he added. “They have quality with the ball.
“On the flanks we weren’t intense and we lacked penetration; we didn’t do well on the diagonals either. Nothing worked for us and we had few chances. We deserved to lose .”
Bayern have not advanced in each of the last five Champions League encounters when they have lost the first leg, four of those five eliminations being against Spanish sides (Barcelona in 2014-15, Atlético de Madrid in 2015- 16 and Real Madrid in 2016). ).-17 and 2017-18).
Thomas Muller, who hasn’t managed a single shot in 62 minutes on the pitch, knows Bayern need to improve significantly if they are to end that streak and secure a place in the quarter-finals.
“We couldn’t deliver the game we wanted,” he said. “Offensively, we didn’t have the energy, we didn’t create many chances and the explosiveness was lacking.
“We accepted this 1-0. If it had gone wrong, the score could have been higher.
“We have seen that Villarreal is not an opponent we can fight against, contrary to what some media say. We have to prepare for the second leg and take our revenge.”