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Liverpool's Sadio Mane, on the right, faces Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich in the center, guarded by Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski. The knockout rounds of the Champions League were played Tuesday night at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool. (AP Photo)
LIVERPOOL: Bayern Munich showed all their experience in the Champions League and quality organization by beating Liverpool tied at 0-0 in the first leg of their last match at Anfield on Tuesday.
In Lyon, the French have mastered the much vaunted attack of Barcelona. They also drew 0-0 in the first leg. (Details below)
The result leaves everything for the return leg in Munich on March 13, although the Germans are without defender Joshua Kimmich, who will be suspended after receiving a yellow card.
It is no coincidence that Bayern has reached the semi-finals of this competition in six of the last seven seasons and has shown its pragmatic calm to master the three normally lively Liverpool teams.
Mohamed Salah, the man that Liverpool is looking for moments of inspiration, to create a goal from scratch, has had a night to forget with one of his poorest displays in this competition .
Liverpool simply could not find the fluidity and rhythm that make the most of their line of attack although they are delighted, in the absence of their defensive rock Virgil van Dijk, to have kept Bayern .
There were few clear opportunities in the match, although Liverpool created several half-openings during the first period.
The first was one of the best that they managed – Jordan Henderson in search of Salah, who had snuck past Niklas Sule, but the Egyptian kick thoroughly was straight ahead of Manuel Neuer .
On the other end, goaltender Alison Becker had to be on his guard to prevent Joel Matip from getting a clearance that escaped him and hit him in the chest.
Kingsley Coman fired into the side net after a neglected Alisson attempt, but it was a rare sign of nervousness on the part of the defense.
Bayern was happy to sit down deep after the break and Juergen Klopp's closest team in the second half was a header from Sadio Mane in the 86th minute, thrust of Neuer.
It was not an evening in the list of major European games at Anfield, a fact that is reflected in a rather flat atmosphere for most of the match, but Liverpool knows they still have a chance to progress.
"You're playing against an experienced team, they've been here for five or six years," said left-back Andy Robertson.
"We kept a blank sheet, could have scored a few goals, but the tie is alive and well.If we score here, it's crucial."
In Lyon, FranceLionel Messi was unable to add six goals in the competition while Luis Suarez opened the scoring, but opened the scoring 20 minutes from the end of the match, which allowed Jordi Alba to score.
When Messi spotted Sergio Busquets five minutes from the end, the midfield kick at the edge of the penalty area gave Anthony Lopes a nice shot.
Messi had the goal in the crosshairs at the last minute with his second free kick of the night, but he hit it against the wall and did the same with the rebound.
Both goalkeepers behaved well in a match free of any cynical or heavy foul. Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Barcelona made two decisive saves in the first ten minutes of midfielder Houssem Aouar and striker Martin Terrier.
Although Lyon has spent a good part of the half chasing smooth midfielders, the Barca's approach play has all too often been halted around the penalty area. Suarez was the main culprit, wasting several promising moves with unusually busy passes.
The team of coach Ernesto Valverde won the Spanish league last season and leads it again. But Barcelona has not reached the final of the Champions League since winning the competition for the fifth time in 2015.
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