Bayern Munich Edge Past Benfica to Reignite Champions League Campaign

Bayern Munich returned to winning ways in the Champions League with a gritty 1-0 home victory over Benfica, a result that steadies their campaign after back-to-back losses. Although it was far from a vintage Bayern display, Jamal Musiala’s second-half strike proved enough to separate the two sides, moving the German champions level with their Portuguese visitors at six points in the standings.

Benfica came into the game ready for a defensive battle, and their resilience nearly frustrated Bayern for the full 90 minutes. Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin delivered a standout performance, pulling off several crucial saves to keep the hosts at bay well into the second half. However, Bayern’s persistence eventually paid off when Musiala found the net, securing a hard-fought victory for the Bavarians.

Bayern’s xG (expected goals) of 1.27 reflected their advantage in chances created, but it also underscored their struggle to break down Benfica's well-organized backline. The Lisbon club, meanwhile, recorded an xG of only 0.08 and failed to register a single shot on target—a first for Benfica in this competition since 2017, highlighting their difficulties in generating offensive threats.

For Benfica, the loss leaves little time for reflection as they face Porto in a key Primeira Liga clash this weekend, while a pivotal Champions League match against Monaco looms on the horizon. Bayern, too, have a challenging road ahead; they’ll look to build on this momentum when they welcome Paris Saint-Germain to the Allianz Arena later this month.

While Bayern’s performance wasn’t the most commanding, Musiala’s goal and the defense’s stability marked a positive step for the German side as they aim to regain their early-season form and push deeper into the Champions League.