Bayern Munich defeated Lazio 3-0 on Tuesday to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals 3-1 on aggregate. Harry Kane scored once in each half. Kane leveled the tie in the 38th minute, canceling out Lazio’s lead from the first leg and scoring his first Champions League knockout goal in five years. Before halftime, Thomas Mueller doubled the hosts’ lead with a clever header, and Kane added another in the 66th minute, tapping in the rebound from a Leroy Sane shot to secure Bayern’s progression to the next round.
“It was the perfect night for us,” Kane told Amazon Prime.
“Everyone with energy, all around the pitch, the way we played and created chances and pressed without the ball — it was a top, top performance.”
Bayern kept their slim chances of winning silverware alive this season, likely giving departing coach Thomas Tuchel a reprieve until the quarter-finals in April.
“It’s the most difficult trophy to win in Europe, and probably the world,” Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, told journalists.
“But it doesn’t get any easier or more difficult if you have a long contract or if you’re leaving at the end of the season.”
Kane acknowledged that Tuchel’s exit was “unusual,” but added that “nights like this can change the season.” I’m proud of the boys; we just need to keep this momentum going.”
Mueller, a two-time Champions League winner, stated: “We’re going to make sure everyone enjoys this feeling, regardless of what was in the newspaper yesterday or tomorrow.”
“We’re very happy because we know the importance of progressing further today.”
The loss ended Lazio’s chances of reaching the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 1999-2000.
Bayern, the six-time European champions, entered Tuesday’s match facing elimination from the last 16 for only the second time in 13 seasons.
Three consecutive losses, including a 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Rome, marked Bayern’s worst run since 2015 and cost Tuchel his job less than a year after arriving in Munich.
Tuchel promised to be more “ruthless” now that he could keep the seat warm until the summer.
On Tuesday, he benched big-money signing Kim Min-jae in favor of Eric Dier, while moving Joshua Kimmich, who has played in midfield for Bayern and Germany, to right-back.
Bayern pushed Lazio back early, with the fit-again Sane and Jamal Musiala coming close.
– Immense regret –
Ciro Immobile, who scored the only goal in the first leg, had a golden opportunity to extend Lazio’s lead after a Matthijs de Ligt error on 36 minutes, but his header went just wide.
The miss proved costly, as Kane equalized moments later by heading in a scuffed Raphael Guerreiro shot.
Mueller, who received more playing time following the announcement of Tuchel’s impending departure, doubled Bayern’s lead in first-half stoppage time by heading in a De Ligt shot in trademark poacher style.
Despite a prolific scoring run since joining Spurs, the German media joked that the famously trophyless Kane had cursed Bayern, who were on the verge of missing out on silverware for the first time since 2012.
The England captain, however, ensured Bayern’s survival in Europe by scoring from close range after Sane forced a save from Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, his 33rd goal in as many appearances this season.
With Lazio striker Immobile sidelined with a knee injury, the visitors appeared toothless in attack as Bayern gently controlled proceedings to take the sting out of the game.
Bayern maintained their first clean sheet in eight games, with captain Manuel Neuer equalling Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas’ Champions League record of 57.
