Pep Guardiola praised match-winner Arturo Vidal after his early headed goal gave Bayern Munich a slender 1-0 win over Benfica at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Vidal’s second-minute goal was all that separated the two teams on an evening when Bayern were unusually subdued for long periods and struggled to break down their opponents, who grew into the game as it went on.

On a night when the likes of Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery, Robert Lewandowski and Douglas Costa were largely kept quiet, Vidal, in his first season at the club after joining from Juventus, stood out in midfield by both providing a shield for the defence and helping start Bayern’s attacks.

“He has been a very important player for us and has a great personality on the pitch as well as lots of experience,” the Spaniard said post-match.