Champions League career ends at 163 games - Thomas Müller and Bayern fall to Inter Milan

Thomas Müller rose, met the ball but Yann Sommer in the Inter Milan kept the score at 2-2. It was Bayern Munich’s final chance of the tie, and Müller’s final opportunity to prolong his  UEFA Champions League career. At least that is what we think. Müller is set to leave the Rekordmeister after the 2025 Club World Cup and with Major League Soccer clubs interested, his 163rd appearance in the Champions League was likely his last.  

As the graphic above highlights, Müller’s 163rd appearance in the Champions League sees the 35-year-old Bayern legend draw even with Lionel Messi. While Müller played all his Champions League games for one club, Messi managed his 163 appearances with Barcelona and PSG. While the Argentine has managed an incredible 129 goals and 45 assists, Müller’s stats aren’t too bad either. The 35-year-old has scored 57 goals and 34 assists in his UCL career.

Bayern always had a mountain to climb at the San Siro after they lost the first tie 2-1 at home at the Allianz Arena. Müller scored the equalizer late in that game but moments later Inter Milan were back ahead thanks to a strike by Davide Frattesi. “It won’t be,” Müller said when asked by the media ahead of the game if tonight was going to be his last UCL game. For moments it looked like it wouldn’t be.

163 games in the Champions League - Inter Milan stop Bayern legend

Harry Kane brought Bayern Munich ahead (52’) but then Inter Milan scored twice from corners to turn the game around. First Lautaro Martínez benefitted from a Joshua Kimmich mistake and then  Benjamin Pavard (61’) headed home the lead. Eric Dier gave Bayern brief hope when he scored a fabulous header in the 76th minute. Bayern then huffed and puffed and in the fifth minute of injury time Müller got on the end of a header but Sommer was there to potentially end an illustrious Champions League career.