Bayern suffer shock 1-0 loss against Lazio

Ciro Immobile scored a 69th-minute penalty to secure a hard fought 1-0 victory for Lazio over 10-man Bayern Munich on Wednesday in their Champions League round of 16 first leg clash. 

Immobile kept a cool head and deposited the ball into the net from his spot kick after Bayern defender Dayot Upamencano’s careless challenge on Gustav Isaksen for which the France International was penalised with a straight red card. 

Persuasive Lazio frustrated the German side and dealt well with their attacks and Bayern were rusty throughout, failing to register a single effort on target in the match. 

This was the first time since February 2019 that Bayern have failed in getting a single shot on goal in a competitive tie. Their 17 shots were the most taken by a team without recording a shot on target in the UEFA Champions League since the 2010-11 season. 

The visitors, firm favourites heading into this fixture, were eager to return emphatically from Saturday’s 3-0 Bundesliga loss to leaders Bayern Leverkusen which saw them five points off the top. 

They will return to the Allianz Arena to play the second leg with more pressure mounting on coach Thomas Tuchel and his side after their second consecutive defeat. They have failed to find the back of the net in their last two matches. 

"We started well and had a chance in the first minute and then with Harry Kane and then with Jamal Musiala. We had the game under control in the first half," Tuchel said.

"But in the second our performance dropped inexplicably. We made too many individual errors and made our opponents stronger and we lost concentration. We lost our rhythm.

"It was completely our responsibility. We lost a game today that in the first half looked like we could not lose it."

Tuchel dismissed any concerns regarding his future with Bayern

“Worried about my future? No I am not," he said.

Bayern started strongly and pressed the Italian side high to create early chances for Joshua Kimmich and Harry Kane, both of whom narrowly missed the target. 

Lazio, who had lost 6-2 on aggregate to Bayern at the same stage three years ago, replied strongly with a Luis Alberto rocket that flew just wide of Manuel Neuer’s goal.

A drop in tempo was seen gradually with Bayern struggling to get past a disciplined Lazio back line and had to wait until the 40th minute for a substantial attack with Musiala firing one over the bar from close range. 

Two minutes after the restart Lazio should have been in front with Isaksen only having Neuer to beat but the keeper stood his ground to block the shot. 

Lazio received a penalty when Immobile passed to Isaksen in the box and Upamecano arrived late and clumsily stepped on his ankle. 

Immobile converted his spot kick to give his side the advantage going into the second leg in Munich on March 5. 

We worked and prepared for this match to have a say in it," said Immobile. "I was convinced that the team would put everything out there.

"We had some opportunities and we had to be good at exploiting them ahead of the return match and we did just that."