Bayern Munich Defeat Sevilla 2-1 in 2018 Champions League Quarter-Final

Bayern Munich have one foot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after beating Sevilla 2-1 in the quarter-final first leg at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Tuesday. 

Pablo Sarabia put the home side ahead against the 2013 winners in the first half before a Jesus Navas own goal drew Bayern level. Die Roten won it in the second half when Thiago Alcantara's header went in off Sergio Escudero.

Here's what you need to know:

Sevilla's Goalkeeper Surprise Backfires

Sevilla boss Vicenzo Montella sprang the big surprise pre-match, dropping regular goalkeeper Sergio Rico for David Soria, who hadn't played since December. Andrew Gaffney of Yahoo Sport UK expressed his shock at the bold call:

Ultimately, the gamble didn't pay off, despite a steady start from Soria. He was undone on 37 minutes, though fortune hardly favoured the 24-year-old stopper.

A superb second-half save to deny Javi Martinez was to Soria's credit, but his role for both goals will subject Montella's decision to even greater scrutiny.

Controversial Sarabia Goal Continues Bayern's Vulnerability on their Travels

After earlier shooting over when presented with an open goal, Sarabia made amends when he turned in for the home side on 32 minutes. However, the goal wasn't without an element of controversy, as the ball appeared to flick off Sarabia's hand as he beat Bayern left-back Juan Bernat to the ball.

Despite the apparent use of his hand, Bernat's defending, or lack thereof, was on the mind of the Guardian's Sid Lowe:

He had a point considering Sarabia's finish continued a worrying trend for Bayern on their travels in Europe. OptaFranz detailed how much Die Roten have struggled to keep clean sheets outside the Allianz Arena:

There's no doubt Bayern have the firepower up top to win this tournament, but it won't happen without more stability at the back.

Timeless Franck Ribery Still a Menace

Franck Ribery never seems to age as one of the features of Bayern's array of attacking talent. The 34-year-old was terrific all night, using his pace, trickery and nous to torment the hosts.

DW Sports summed up Ribery's one-man show in the first half:

Bayern's 37th-minute equaliser came about from another typically rampaging Ribery run. His shot turned in off Navas, but the Frenchman's directness and ingenuity had made the goal.

It was also a landmark one for Bayern in this calendar year:

Ribery was involved again when his cross picked out Thiago to head in Bayern's second, albeit with the aid of a defelection. The enduring quality of veterans like Ribery is the main reason Bayern remain a dominant force, both domestically and in Europe.

What's Next?

Bayern will now turn their attention to winning a sixth-straight Bundesliga title by beating Augsburg on Saturday. By contrast, Sevilla's focus will be on somehow making up a 15-point gap to Valencia and a place in the top four in La Liga to qualify for next season's Champions League.