Bayern, Villarreal glide into group stage

Bayern Munich and Villarreal avoided embarrassing exits from the Champions League on Tuesday as they cruised into Thursday’s group stage draw after winning their respective play-off clashes. Bayern – making a rare appearance at this stage of the competition after finishing third in the league last season – beat FC Zurich 1-0 away thanks to a Mario Gomez first-half strike to win 3-0 on aggregate. Villarreal – who could be forgiven for lacking match sharpness after the first round of Spanish league matches were called-off last weekend because of a players strike – trounced Danish league runners-up Odense 3-0, to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Villarreal’s highly-rated striker Giuseppe Rossi grabbed a double to ensure the ‘Yellow Submarine’s place in the group stages for the third time in what was an ill-tempered match that saw a player from each side sent-off. Malmo nearly pulled-off a remarkable win, as regarded as no-hopers after losing the first leg 4-1, going 2-0 up four minutes from time against Dinamo Zagreb but they couldn’t find the goal that would have seen them progress on the away goal rule Belgian side Genk and Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa’s clash went all the way to penalties – the match having finished 2-2 on aggregate – with Genk prevailing 4-1.
The losers at least have the consolation of going into the Europa League group stage draw. Gomez’s goal ensured Bayern will go into Thursday’s draw as one of the ten play-off winners who join the 22 automatic entrants. “We have fulfilled our duty to reach the main draw, there is no one particular opponent we want to face – we have to beat everyone,” said striker Nils Petersen, who came on for the injured Gomez in the second-half. Bayern – who are hoping to go all the way to the final which is being staged at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 19 next year – join fellow German sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in the main draw. Munich had few problems in Zurich as the hosts rarely troubled Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer while Munich barely got out of second gear.
“It was important for us to get an early goal, so that we had a commanding 3-0 lead,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes. “After that the tension wasn’t so great in the team. “It was very important for Bayern Munich to be in the group stages.”