Bayern Munich crashed out of the Champions League quarterfinals after their 2-2 draw in the second leg against Inter Milan. The Bavarians lost the tie 4-3 on aggregate and missed out on the semifinals.
The struggle started at home, in the Allianz Arena, when Lautaro Martinez stepped up for Inter and scored the first goal, against the run of play. Bayern, till that point, were dominating the play and had most of the possession. But they were wasteful in front of the goal.
Later, the hosts came back in the game when Thomas Muller found the net but Vincent Kompany's joy was short-lived as Davide Frattesi scored the winner for Nerazzurri, coming off the bench.
Bayern failed to produce a stellar performance at the San Siro and were only reduced to a 2-2 draw due to their leaky defence.
The German giants will now focus on winning the Bundesliga and later shift their focus to the Club World Cup.
Kompany will also be busy during the summer transfer window as he aims to bring in fresh players whilst offloading a few from the current roster.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
One such player who may leave the Allianz Arena this summer is Joao Palhinha. The Portuguese midfielder is lower down the pecking order with the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Konrad Laimer and Aleksandar Pavlovic ahead of him.
As per a report on BILD by Christian Falk, Palhinha is not a good fit in Kompany's system, as he was a choice of previous coach Thomas Tuchel. Therefore, The Bavarians may sell him just a year after signing him.
The former Fulham midfielder has only featured in 14 matches in the Bundesliga this season, clocking only 656 minutes of gametime. He has mustered five Champions League appearances and was on the pitch for only 173 minutes collectively.
While injuries have had a part to play in this but the Portugal international isn't a major part in Kompany's game plan.
What did Kompany and Freund say about Joao Palhinha?
Following the second leg defeat against Inter Milan, Kompany remained firm on his stance and didn't throw much light on the midfielder's future at the club."He played the full 90 minutes against Augsburg two weeks ago and did well," Kompany opined.
"It's always a balance. We have other players who did well. It's not always about someone not doing well. It's about the others. He was unlucky with injuries. But now he's fully ready to help the team when his moment comes. Hopefully, he'll show how good he is many more times in his moments to come"
Whereas Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund appreciated Palhinha's character and believes that injuries have impact his role in the team.
"He hasn't really gotten into a rhythm - partly due to injuries. This is his first year playing at such a big club. He's a true professional, a great character, and a top guy. It's not our plan at all to let him go in the summer," Freund added.
Recent reports on CaughtOffside suggest that Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal have been offered an opportunity to sign the Portuguese midfielder.
Due to his reputation in the Premier League during his tenure at Fulham, Bayern believe that they can sell him without making any loss.
The Germans signed the 29-year-old midfielder from Fulham last summer for £42.3m, plus £4.2m in add-ons in a four-year contract. But sadly injuries and poor form have been a major roadblock in his career in Germany.
Therefore a return to Premier League looks feasible for both parties as Bayern are also lookig to free up funds for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Bayern Munich news and related links
- Jesse Marsch rejects Alphonso Davies injury criticism as Canada row rolls on
- Premier League club named 'perfect' fit for Harry Kane return according to former England star
- Bayern Munich chief reveals reason for not extending Thomas Muller's contract