Bayern only just escaped by the thinnest of ways to progress to the quarters of the Champions League. In match in which Pep was tactically beatdown by Allegri, all signs were showing this would be third time unlucky. But one player who really shone even when Bayern were getting battered by Morata and Juve's counters was Douglas Costa.
He's already showed what he can do in the Bundesliga, but the big question was what the very talented Brazilian would be able to do when the big matches in the Champions League come along. And it doesn't come much bigger than last year's finalists and Italy's finest. This was the toughest match Bayern found themselves in and while several indvidual mistakes were all over the pitch for the Bavarians, their brightest spark and best chance of mounting a comeback came through Costa.
Every time he had the ball, he would cut in and outside and Juventus found it hard to cope with just how quickly he operated. When it looked like it would all be over, Costa again cut in on the inside and delivered the perfect cross that Lewandowski only need to jump and put his head onto. Thus, the comeback was on and complete.
But the way in which Costa played when Bayern did not have their best game will be very welcoming news for Pep. Robben is still the man and the Sheriff of Munich, but he's getting old and he can't always get Bayern out of jail even though he'll keep pushing to do that. Costa has shown that he can either provide the G or the assist to get Bayern over the line which doesn't put everything on the Dutch sniper's shoulders.
Bayern should see off Benfica and see themselves in their third successive semi-final. But with Costa on the pitch, they have a really good chance of beating whoever gets in their way, even Barcelona. Douglas C has the ability to destroy any defence that is left in the Champions League and just may be that weapon that Pep missed in the two previous years.
The dude is a serious problem whenever he's got the ball at his feet...
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