Bayern's Alphonso Davies, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Celtic Glasgow at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
February 18, 2025 - 3:26 PM
MUNICH (AP) — A kiss and a gesture to the badge.
Alphonso Davies finally showed Bayern Munich some love on Tuesday when his goal sent the Bavarian powerhouse into the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Canada wing back bundled the ball over the line in the fourth minute of stoppage time for 1-1 draw with Celtic, sparing Bayern the ordeal of extra time in the second leg of the playoff. Bayern won the first leg 2-1 in Glasgow and so progressed 3-2 on aggregate.
“It was instinct,” Davies said of his goal, just his second in the Champions League. “I’m happy to get another one.”
The 24-year-old Davies, who only recently committed his future to Bayern by signing a new contract through June 2030, kissed the Bayern crest on his jersey and then pointed to it after he scored the goal.
It was a gesture that Bayern’s powerbrokers might have preferred to have seen sooner as talks on extending the speedy wing back’s contract became protracted.
Davies’ contract was due to expire at the end of this season. Bayern’s board member for sport Max Eberl said in March 2024 that the club had made its final offer to Davies, who was also the subject of reported interest from Real Madrid.
In the end, Bayern and Davies agreed a new deal reported to be worth some 20 million euros ($21 million) a year to the player.
Tuesday’s goal will go some way to repaying it. Advancing to the last 16 will bring Bayern another 11 million euros ($11.5 million) in prize money from UEFA.
“That’s the Champions League,” Davies said. “We played against a strong Celtic team. They play with a lot of intensity. We’re happy to go through. It’s not easy. We’re playing so many games.”
Bayern, which will learn Friday whether it faces Bayer Leverkusen or Atlético Madrid in the last 16, next faces high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt at home in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
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