Juventus Vs Bayern Munich

Stefano Sturaro seals Juventus fightback in draw with Bayern Munich

Juventus came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 home draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich.

Goals from Thomas Müller and Arjen Robben either side of half-time looked to have put Bayern in control of the tie. But Paulo Dybala pulled one back and the substitute Stefano Sturaro equalised to ensure Juventus will go into the second leg on 16 March with optimism.

The pre-match team news focused on both team’s defences, with Juve switching to a back four in the absence of Giorgio Chiellini while injury-hit Bayern paired the inexperienced Joshua Kimmich with the versatile David Alaba in the centre. The full-back Philipp Lahm made his 100th Champions League appearance.

Mario Mandzukic scuffed an early shot for Juve before, at the other end, a rather better-struck 25-yard volley from Arturo Vidal was beaten away by Gianluigi Buffon. Mandzukic stretched to reach strike partner Dybala’s cross but could only divert the ball over the bar.

Bayern missed an extraordinary opportunity in the 13th minute when Lahm cut the ball into the box and Robert Lewandowski drew the keeper but squared the ball behind Müller, who could not get the ball out of his feet and his weak shot was cleared off the line by Leonardo Bonucci.

Vidal got away with a possible handball when Paul Pogba stabbed the ball into the Bayern area.
Robben fired over from the right side of the penalty area before Müller was again unable to bring the ball under control in the box.

Buffon fumbled Juan Bernat’s innocuous shot but Bonucci scrambled the ball away, and Robben then headed Douglas Costa’s corner wide.

Bayern continued to dominate, though, and it told before half-time as Costa’s volleyed cross deflected off Andrea Barzagli and Müller stroked home.

Massimiliano Allegri sent on Hernanes for Claudio Marchisio at half-time but the desired impact was not forthcoming as Robben made it 2-0 10 minutes into the second period. Thiago Alcântara’s pass sparked a three-man breakaway and Lewandowski, who got away with a foul on Bonucci in the buildup, used Müller as a decoy and fed the winger, who cut inside and curled a left-foot shot around Bonucci and Buffon.

Dybala saw a free-kick deflected over the bar but the Bayern pressure kept coming and Lewandowski sent a diving header wide.

Out of nowhere, though, Juve pulled a goal back when Kimmich’s error presented the ball to Mandzukic and he slid it through for Dybala to take a touch and finish.

Mandzukic was fortunate to escape punishment after twice pushing his head towards Lewandowski as the two squared up but it did not disrupt Juve’s new-found rhythm, Juan Cuadrado denied by Manuel Neuer’s fingertips and Pogba curling just over.

Allegri sent on Sturaro in the 69th minute and Alvaro Morata in the 75th and these changes paid off immediately, as Morata headed Mandzukic’s pass nicely across the six-yard box for a lunging Sturaro to finish via the crossbar.

Barzagli cleared Robben’s cross away from Lewandowski and when Muller delivered from the other side, it was just too far in front of the Poland striker. Mehdi Benatia then headed over from Thiago’s corner.

Bonucci’s shot was straight at Neuer and the Bayern substitute Franck Ribery, who on Sunday returned from 11 months out, was unable to pick out Lewandowski as the match finished with no further score.

'I don't give a f*** for physical condition' Pep Guardiola loses cool

• Bayern Munich were pegged back during their Champions League clash 
• Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben fired the German's into a two-goal lead 
• However, Paulo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro both scored to level the scores
• Pep Guardiola lost his customary cool when interviewed after the fixture

Pep Guardiola lost his customary cool after his Bayern Munich side allowed a two-goal lead to slip in Turin, and snapped back at questions about his team's character and fitness.

Bayern were simply brilliant for an hour in the Champions League last-16 tie at Juventus and two goals up thanks to Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben.

A defensive mistake allowed Paulo Dybala to pull one goal back, however, and Juve grew in confidence until Stefano Sturaro equalised 14 minutes from the end of a thrilling first-leg.

Paulo Dybala grabs the ball as he celebrates his second-half goal as Juventus came from two goals down

Stefano Sturaro beats Joshua Kimmich to the ball to grab an unlikely equaliser against Bayern Munich 

'The result is what it is,' said Guardiola. 'I know that in Italy you are about physical condition. I don't give a f*** for the physical condition. It's the mental question that I care about.

'I didn't expect to come here and expect Juve not to shoot on target, or that we would play 90 fantastic minutes.

'They have players like (Mario) Mandzukic, (Paul) Pogba and (Leonardo) Bonucci, one of my all-time favourite players. And we showed character.'

With two valuable away goals and the tie level, Bayern remain favourites to reach the last eight, but they leave Turin in the knowledge their position could have been far stronger.

'We could have won the game,' said Guardiola. 'We have a team with many youngsters. We will learn from this. Don't forget it was Juventus.

'We played a great team, the finalists in the Champions League last year. We did not play a team from the provinces. They have won four titles in Italy. Last year, they went further than us.

Arjen Robben wheels away in celebration after superbly firing Bayern Munich into a two-goal lead

Thomas Muller roars with celebration after putting Bayern Munich into the lead on the stroke of half-time

'It's a shame how it finished but I am very satisfied in the end with what we did. You say we lack character. On the contrary. We came here, had the ball, created chances and scored goals.

'Will it be enough to go through? I don't know. I would like to sit here after a win but the result is what it is.

'I am very happy with how I did. It is probably the evening that I am the most pleased as coach in my career. Maybe one day I will work in Italy. If they want me.'

The Bayern boss, who will swap Munich for Manchester City at the end of the season, still expects his team to take its place in the last eight of the Champions League.

Guardiola watches on anxiously from his place in the dugout as his side dominated during the first half

'The return game will be a new game,' said Guardiola. 'We start from 2-2 and we can go through with 0-0, 1-1 or by winning. And they have to win or get to 3-3.

'I expect them to play with five at the back. They will be a bit different. But they have incredible quality in attack.

'It will be a very tough game because we face a team with so many champions and great history behind them. It will be beautiful, the return.'