MUNICH — A kiss and a gesture to the badge.
Alphonso Davies finally showed Bayern Munich some love on Tuesday when his goal sent the Bavarian powerhouse into the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Canada wing back bundled the ball over the line in the fourth minute of stoppage time for 1-1 draw with Celtic, sparing Bayern the ordeal of extra time in the second leg of the playoff. Bayern won the first leg 2-1 in Glasgow and so progressed 3-2 on aggregate.
“It was instinct,” Davies said of his goal, just his second in the Champions League. “I’m happy to get another one.”
The 24-year-old Davies, who only recently committed his future to Bayern by signing a new contract through June 2030, kissed the Bayern crest on his jersey and then pointed to it after he scored the goal.
It was a gesture that Bayern’s powerbrokers might have preferred to have seen sooner as talks on extending the speedy wing back’s contract became protracted.
Davies’ contract was due to expire at the end of this season. Bayern’s board member for sport Max Eberl said in March 2024 that the club had made its final offer to Davies, who was also the subject of reported interest from Real Madrid.
In the end, Bayern and Davies agreed a new deal reported to be worth some 20 million euros (US$21 million) a year to the player.
Tuesday’s goal will go some way to repaying it. Advancing to the last 16 will bring Bayern another 11 million euros (US$11.5 million) in prize money from UEFA.
“That’s the Champions League,” Davies said. “We played against a strong Celtic team. They play with a lot of intensity. We’re happy to go through. It’s not easy. We’re playing so many games.”
Bayern, which will learn Friday whether it faces Bayer Leverkusen or Atlético Madrid in the last 16, next faces high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt at home in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Feyenoord moves on
MILAN — Seldom has a player’s sending-off had such an influence on a game.
AC Milan was left to rue Theo Hernandez’s second yellow card — for diving — as Feyenoord advanced to the Champions League last 16 at the former European champion’s expense with a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their playoff on Tuesday.
Bayern Munich, Club Brugge and Benfica also won their playoffs on Tuesday, eliminating Celtic, Europa League winner Atalanta, and French team Monaco, respectively.
"In soccer, everything changes in a second,” said Milan forward Santiago Giménez, who scored one of the competition's fastest goals against his former team, Feyenoord, in the first minute.
Hernandez was sent off for a dive in the 51st when Milan was dominating after Giménez’s opener had levelled the tie. Feyenoord had won the first leg of the playoff 1-0 last week.
But Milan’s defence looked anything but assured after referee Szymon Marciniak showed Hernandez another yellow card for his dive. The France defender had earned his first before the break for lashing out at a Feyenoord player after a foul on teammate João Félix.
Hugo Bueno crossed for Julián Carranza to head Feyenoord level on the night in the 73rd, giving the Dutch team a 2-1 win on aggregate.
“We're very disappointed. We started well and scored straight away. It seemed like Feyenoord couldn’t hurt us,” Giménez said of the game's pivotal moment. "Today it happened to Theo but it can happen to anyone, this is soccer. We have the utmost respect for Theo. We will give him all our support.”
Feyenoord's Givairo Read was shown a red card following another melee after the final whistle.
Feyenoord will play either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the round of 16.
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