Bayern Munich Emerge as Champions League Favorites Despite Narrow Benfica Win

Bayern Munich booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semifinals on Wednesday following a 2-2 draw with Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal. The result marked Bayern's fifth consecutive trip to the last four of Europe's elite club competition and their third under Pep Guardiola.

The hosts had it all to do after losing the first leg 1-0 in Munich but did well to draw level on aggregate through Raul Jimenez in the first half. To their credit, Bayern didn't lose their resolve and roared back. Arturo Vidal scored the all-important away goal 11 minutes after Jimenez's opener, leaving the hosts needing two goals to progress. Thomas Muller made it 2-1 early in the second half, sealing the Bavarians' progression.

Talisca's late free-kick earned a draw for Benfica, but the hosts were always at arm's length after Vidal's equalizer.

Essentially, Bayern were in the driver's seat before the second minute of the first leg, when Vidal put them ahead. It was a stark contrast to the previous round, in which they had ups and downs and were ultimately forced to go to extra time against Juventus before prevailing. The quarter-finals were supposed to be less of a struggle, and they were.

Bayern's win was certainly deserved, but their progression was hardly a comprehensive triumph. They seemed to take the foot off the pedal after scoring the opener in the first leg, meaning they spent all but a couple of minutes a little bit off their best game. And although they did enough in the second leg, a 2-2 draw isn't the most convincing result.

Having seen Bayern reach much greater heights in the fall, one gets the impression they never got out of first gear against Benfica. However, that isn't necessarily a problem.

The Champions League has in recent years become a loose filter in which a select few clubs remain until the semifinals before the competition begins in earnest. Last season, for example, Bayern beat Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Porto en route to the semis; they're two good clubs but decidedly a cut below the best.

The stages prior seem to just be a way to see whether one of the usual suspects has an off-day and gets eliminated. Bayern did what they needed to progress in the quarter-finals, just as they did in the round of 16. It was the bare minimum, but it was enough in each case.

Contrast that with Barcelona, who trounced Arsenal 5-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 but were eliminated on Wednesday. The first knockout round was almost a cakewalk, but facing a tough but beatable Atleti side, the tournament favorites struggled. A 2-1 first-leg victory at the Camp Nou meant an opener for the Madrid side in the return leg would leave them chasing the game. Atleti got their goal, and Barca had no answer.

With Barca and Paris Saint-Germain having been eliminated, Bayern should be favorites. Real Madrid only barely advanced ahead of Wolfsburg, while Manchester City are a distant fourth in the Premier League table behind the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City. And despite beating Barca, Atleti are a team with limitations in attack and midfield.

Any one of the four remaining sides could win the Champions League, but Bayern should fancy their chances. Their potential opponents are entirely beatable. And although Bayern may not have exactly convinced in either of the first two knockout rounds, they've always shown they have another gear they can engage when needed.

At their best, the Bavarians are unstoppable. And every sign says that if they'll need to be at their best, Bayern will indeed conjure the form to overcome whatever hurdles they face. No team will want to face Bayern in the semifinals, and Guardiola and company look to be odds-on favorites for a sixth European Cup.

@Mr_Bundesliga