Bayern Munich on to Audi Cup final with win over AC Milan
Pep Guardiola was involved in halftime spat with Milan’s Nigel de Jong as Bayern Munich ran out the 3-0 winner in a heated Audi Cup clash.
The Bayern coach was infuriated by a first-half challenge from De Jong that prompted him to haul Joshua Kimmich off the field immediately, and Guardiola berated the Dutchman as the players left the pitch at the interval.
The spat overshadowed what was a brilliant Bayern performance, in which Douglas Costa showed exactly why Guardiola signed him as he inspired his new team in the first half.
Costa provided an assist for Juan Bernat’s opening goal and went close to scoring on a number of occasions in an explosive 45-minute display.
Mario Gotze's second-half strike and Robert Lewandowski's late third confirmed the Bundesliga champion's place in the Audi Cup final, where it will face Real Madrid, but Guardiola will be hoping for a fixture with less needle than this one.
Guardiola gave a first Bayern start to Arturo Vidal and Milan found itself under pressure within the first 10 minutes - Costa going within inches of a spectacular opener with a free-kick that dipped just over the crossbar from 20 yards.
Milan angered Guardiola with a number of uncompromising challenges, before the Bayern coach pulled Kimmich off after 21 minutes, following a crunching challenge from De Jong.
Moments later, Bayern deservedly took the lead when a sweeping move ended with a shot from Bernat that deflected sharply off the foot of Cristian Zapata, leaving Milan goalkeeper Diego Lopez with no chance.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg should have doubled the lead just three minutes later when a Costa cross flashed across the face of Lopez’s goal, but the Dane’s attempt to score with his chest hit the post.
Costa then launched an audacious 30-yard shot over the crossbar, before another Bayern break put the him through for a one-on-one with Lopez, and the Milan keeper was only able to parry Costa’s shot, but his blushes were spared as the Brazilian fired the rebound over the bar.
Guardiola replaced Costa and Vidal with Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski for the second half, protecting his new signings ahead of the new Bundesliga campaign.
Carlos Bacca missed Milan’s first real chance of the game early in the second half, shooting narrowly wide with the outside of his right foot from just inside the Bayern penalty area.
De Jong almost enraged Guardiola further when he went close with a sweetly-struck volley from 30 yards, and at the other end Zapata came close to putting the ball in his own net as he flicked Rafinha’s cross out of play.
Bayern were right back on top in the final stages of the game, and they ensured that the result better reflected their dominance when Lewandowski linked up with Gotze, who applied a simple finish from 15 yards.
With five minutes left, Lewandowski was on hand to smash home from Muller's pass, following a defensive error by Alex that will have disappointed Mihajlovic.
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