Villarreal Stuns Bayern Munich in Champions League With Late Quarterfinal Winner

First Juventus, now Bayern Munich. Villarreal is proving to be the giant killer in this season’s Champions League.

Doubt Villarreal at your own peril. First it was Juventus that learned that difficult lesson, now it’s Bayern Munich.

After losing its 1–0 first-leg aggregate lead on a goal by Robert Lewandowski, Villarreal struck back, with Samuel Chukwueze’s finish on an 88th-minute counterattack stunning the German power and securing an unlikely 2–1 aggregate triumph. Villarreal withstood a barrage of chances and picked its spots wisely, and it moves onto the semifinals, where it’ll face Liverpool unless Benfica can overturn a 3–1 aggregate deficit at Anfield on Wednesday.

VILLARREAL LEAADS IN MUNICH! It’s a perfect counterattack and Bayern is on the ropes! #UCL

(via @TUDNUSA) pic.twitter.com/9DRi3JWswt

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) April 12, 2022

It looked like Bayern would have enough, with Lewandowski delivering the aggregate equalizer seven minutes into the second half.

The German power surprisingly lost the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal vs. Villarreal in Spain on Arnaut Danjuma’s goal, and perhaps even more surprisingly was held scoreless in the first half of the second leg at home. That changed soon after the break, though.

Lewandowski scored the 86th Champions League goal of his career (69 of which have come for Bayern) in the 52nd minute, rolling in a shot from the edge of the box to finally break through for the hosts and make it 1-1 on aggregate.

And Bayern pulls level with Villarreal! Who else? Robert Lewandowski delivers, and it’s 1-1 on aggregate in Munich #UCL

(via @TUDNUSA) pic.twitter.com/6ZQGE2KkS2

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) April 12, 2022

Bayern had dominated the chances in the first half and outshot Villarreal 7-1, but had nothing to show for it. Jamal Musiala had come close on a point-blank header prior to the half-hour mark, but Villarreal goalkeeper Rulli held his ground and made the save.

Jamal Musiala comes close, but Bayern is still left searching for the aggregate equalizer vs Villarreal. 1-0 to the Yellow Submarine #UCL

(via @TUDNUSA) pic.twitter.com/VfZiv5pG9C

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) April 12, 2022

In all, Bayern outshot Villarreal 23-4 and outpossessed the visitor 68%-32% as part of a one-sided statistical performance. Nevertheless, it’s Unai Emery’s side going through, with Chukwueze’s winner sealing the deal on another famous night for the Yellow Submarine, last season’s Europa League champion.

UNAI EMERY MASTERCLASS.

LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS FOR #UCL SEMIFINALISTS VILLARREAL! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4VC6R83aeJ

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 12, 2022

🎉 Scenes in Munich!
Villarreal = semi-finalists 🥳@VillarrealCFen | #UCL pic.twitter.com/r65E9bagkK

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 12, 2022

It will be Villarreal’s second appearance in the Champions League semifinals and first since 2005-06, when it bowed out to Arsenal.