Lyon 0-3 Bayern Munich: Serge Gnabry double sets up Champions League Final clash vs PSG

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Matt Davies19 August 2020

Serge Gnabry scored a blistering brace as Bayern Munich booked their place in the Champions League final with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Lyon.

The increasingly prolific German's two first-half goals, along with Robert Lewandowski's late header, proved enough to see off a spirited Lyon side to set up a mouth-watering clash against French champions Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.

Having won their previous 19 games, including a ninth successive Champions League victory with a jaw-dropping 8-2 demolition of Barcelona, Bayern coach Hans-Dieter Flick opted for an unchanged line-up.

Lyon undoubtedly entered the fixture as the surprise inclusion in the final four and coach Rudi Garcia also named an unchanged side after their eyebrow-raising wins over Juventus and Manchester City.

Despite Bayern boasting an aggregate score of 12-3 in their previous two games, it was Lyon who started with a swagger, missing two glorious chances through Memphis Depay and Karl Toko Ekambi who hit the side-netting and post respectively.

Bayern have been utterly ruthless throughout their European campaign, and they showed the killer instinct of a worthy Champions League finalist once more as Gnabry cut onto his left foot, before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top corner past a helpless Anthony Lopes.

With a renewed sense of confidence and composure, Gnabry doubled his and Bayern's tally before half-time, stabbing home into an empty net after Lewandowski inexplicably failed to convert following a goal-mouth scramble.

As in the first-half, Lyon were made to rue missed chances, Ekambi again with the pick of the bunch as he was denied from close range once more by Manuel Neuer, who did well to block with his legs.

Lewandowski then struck his 15th goal of the competition and 55th for the season with a late header to seal a comfortable win in Lisbon.

In holding out for victory, Bayern now prepare for the deadly duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe on Sunday as they look for a sixth Champions League title, their first since 2013.

As for Lyon, their incredible campaign comes to an end. A first-ever Champions League semi-final represents nothing other than a major success. But after finishing seventh in a curtailed Ligue 1 season, unfortunately - for all their counter-attacking entertainment - they won't be back next year.

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Lyon XI: Lopes; Marcelo, Denayer, Marcal; Dubois, Caqueret, Guimaraes, Aouar, Cornet; Ekambi, Memphis

Subs: Tatarusanu, Diomande, Andersen, Rafael, Dembele, Traore, Mendes, Reine-Adelaide, Jean Lucas, Tete, Bard, Cherki

Bayern XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Goretzka, Thiago; Gnabry, Muller, Perisic; Lewandowski

Subs: Ulreich, Hoffmann, Odriozola, Sule, Pavard, Javi Martinez, Coutinho, Cuisance, Hernandez, Tolisso, Coman, Zirkzee.

19 August 2020

Here's how we expected the two teams to line up tonight...

Lyon predicted XI (3-5-2): Lopes; Marcelo, Denayer, Marcal; Dubois, Caqueret, Guimaraes, Aouar, Cornet; Toko Ekambi, Memphis.

Bayern Munich predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Goretzka, Thiago; Gnabry, Muller, Coman; Lewandowski.

19 August 2020

Prediction: Lyon 1-3 Bayern Munich

Fuelled by the sense of injustice felt at a seventh-placed Ligue 1 finish decided on a point-per-game basis following the early termination of the 2019/20 French top-flight season back in April, Lyon produced a considerable upset on Saturday for the second round running.

In knocking out both Juventus and City, Rudi Garcia's team have now proved themselves a highly dangerous outfit that should not be underestimated. However, it is simply impossible to pick against a team as confident and incisive as Bayern after watching that 8-2 destruction of Barcelona.

The Bavarians are unbeaten in their last 19 matches across all competitions and have already scored a whopping 39 goals in just nine European outings this season, boasting considerable threats all over the pitch.

Expect Lyon to produce another valiant performance, but Bayern will surely have enough to set up a final date against PSG next weekend (August 23) at Benfica's Estadio da Luz.

19 August 2020

Flick urges Bayern to start from scratch

Hansi Flick has told his Bayern Munich side to forget their 8-2 demolition of Barcelona and “start from scratch” when they play Lyon.

Photo: AFPThe Germans are tournament favourites after thrashing Barcelona in the quarter-finals but they face a Lyon side that stunned Juventus and Manchester City to reach the last four.

“Less than 100 per cent will not be enough,” said manager Flick.

“The game starts from scratch. We have to play with the same intensity as against Barcelona.”

Lyon are the surprise package of this season’s Champions League. Their coach Rudi Garcia said: “Bayern don’t have a lot of weak points but no team are perfect.”

19 August 2020

Injuries and suspensions

Bayern are likely to remain without the services of versatile defender Benjamin Pavard, who suffered an ankle injury in training last month.

Meanwhile, Lyon look to have an almost entirely clean bill of health for this semi-final tie, though as we have seen before big games before, injuries can always occur right up to kick-off.

Neither side is in danger of losing a player to suspension for the final, having seen yellow cards wiped clean after the last-16 knockout round.

19 August 2020

No doubt, the focus will be on Robert Lewandowski after his incredible 14-goal haul in the Champions League. But Thomas Muller's double against Barcelona showed just why Lyon would be foolish to ignore him. 

The German has contributed an incredible 14 goals and 23 assists this season for Bayern. In a deep-lying role, he plays a crucial part in helping Hansi Flick's side click.

The 30-year-old does tend to turn up in the big games, having scored in the 2012 Champions League final, and he will be hoping to reach that stage again tonight with a couple of goals to go with it.

Photo: AFP

19 August 2020

How to watch the game tonight

TV channel: The match will be televised live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate, with coverage starting from 7pm.

Live stream: BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.

Alternatively, if you are unable to watch the game, Standard Sport will keep you updated with minute-by-minute live text commentary right here.

19 August 2020

Road to the semi-finals | Bayern Munich Group stage

MD1 - W 3-0 vs Red Star (h)

MD2 - W 7-2 vs Tottenham (a)

MD3 - W 3-2 vs Olympiacos (a)

MD4 - W 2-0 vs Olympiacos (h)

MD5 - W 6-0 vs Red Star (a)

MD6 - W 3-1 vs Tottenham (h)

Last 16 

1st leg: W 3-0 vs Chelsea (a)

2nd leg: W 4-1 vs Chelsea (h)

Quarter-finals

W 8-2 vs Barcelona (n)

19 August 2020

Bayern Munich will go into this match as overwhelming favourites after an astonishing run of form under Hansi Flick.

The German champions have won 23 out of their last 24 games in all competitions, including 19 wins in a row. Bayern also annihilated Barcelona 8-2 in the semi-finals - the highest-scoring match ever in the knockout stages.

They've also won all nine of their Champions League matches this campaign, a feat only achieved by Barcelona before.

But Lyon have already knocked out Juventus and Man City, so the idea of taking on another European superpower like Bayern will not prove a daunting prospect.

It should be a fascinating contest with Rudi Garcia's side looking to reach their first Champions League final - and Bayern their first since they won it in 2013. 

19 August 2020

PSG await

Getting through the Champions League semi-finals is no easy feat but Paris Saint-Germain certainly made light work of RB Leipzig on Tuesday, cruising to a 3-0 success at Estadio da Luz.

Marquinhos' header put the French side in front before Angel Di Maria doubled the advantage before the break. 

Juan Bernat rounded off a comfortable victory late on with Neymar one of the more impressive players on the night as PSG became the first French club to reach the Champions League final since AS Monaco in 2003/04.

Will Lyon make it an all-French meeting in Lisbon on Sunday?

19 August 2020

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport's LIVE coverage of the Champions League semi-final clash between Lyon and Bayern Munich in Lisbon!

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