Bayern Munich breeze past Barcelona in eight-goal UEFA Champions League quarter-final drubbing
Bayern Munich made a statement after putting eight goals past Barcelona in a flawless UEFA Champions League quarter-final victory, joining fellow Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in the semi-finals.
Barcelona 2-8 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Müller (4'), 1-1 Alaba o.g. (7'), 1-2 Perisic (22'), 1-3 Gnabry (28'), 1-4 Müller (31'), 2-4 Suarez (57'), 2-5 Kimmich (63'), 2-6 Lewandowski (82'), 2-7 Coutinho (85'), 2-8 Coutinho (89')
Thomas Müller swept Bayern in front after just three minutes, intelligently resisting the opportunity to try his luck on the volley by touching the ball down for Robert Lewandowski, whose equally deft touch back to Müller was the sort of invitation Bayern's No.25 thrives on. Bayern's lead lasted less than three minutes, though, before David Alaba turned a Jordi Alba cross over Manuel Neuer and into his own goal. Lionel Messi hit the post and tested Neuer in a frenetic opening before Bayern went in front once again, Ivan Perisic beating Marc Andre ter Stegen with a powerful drive from a tight angle. Müller almost scrambled in a third before Leon Goretzka's delightful flick over the Barcelona defence was tucked in by Serge Gnabry. Bayern continued to press and Lewandowski should have added a fourth, with only ter Stegen to beat, before Müller met Joshua Kimmich's cross to give Bayern a comfortable advantage, and just half an hour had been played.
Barca could not wait for the half-time whistle and while they grabbed something of a lifeline early in the second half when Luis Suarez cut the arrears, their hope did not last long. Alphonso Davies danced his way dazzlingly past Nelson Semedo on the left and laid the ball on a golden platter for Kimmich to make it five. Bayern were not done yet, though. Lewandowski – whose name had been conspicuous by its absence from the scoresheet – rectified that with a close-range header to make it six, before substitute Philippe Coutinho slotted in the ever-productive Müller's assist to make it seven. Coutinho added his second and Bayern's eighth as the Bavarians ran riot to earn their place in the semi-finals in style.
Match stats
- Müller has six goals in five games against Barcelona.
- Bayern have scored 36 goals in nine Champions League games this season.
- They have a new club record 152 goals in all competitions in 2019/20 – one more than in their 2012/13 treble-winning season.
- Bayern beat their own record of 36 minutes, set against Porto in the 2014/15 quarter-final second leg, for the fastest a team has every scored four goals in a Champions League knockout match.
- Barcelona had not conceded five or more goals in a Champions League knockout game since 1976.
- Lewandowski became the third place in history to score in eight consecutive Champions League games.
Line-ups
Barcelona: Ter Stegen - Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba - Busquets (Fati 70') - Roberto (Griezmann 46'), De Jong - Vidal - Messi (c), Suarez
Unused subs: Neto, Pena, Rakitic, Dembele, Firpo, Puig, Araujo, Monchu, Mingueza, Reis
Out: Arthur (not considered), Braithwaite (ineligible), Umtiti (knee)
Doubtful: Araujo (ankle), Dembele (match fitness)
Coach: Quique Setien
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Kimmich, Boateng (Süle 76'), Alaba, Davies (Hernandez 84') - Goretzka (Tolisso 84'), Thiago - Gnabry (Coutinho 76'), Müller, Perisic (Coman 67') - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Hoffmann, Odriozola, Martinez, Cuisance, Zirkzee, Musiala
Out: Pavard (ankle), Sane (ineligible)
Coach: Hansi Flick
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As it happened!
90' - ADDED TIME
We're now into two minutes of added time. Maybe time for one more Bayern goal...
89' - IT'S EIGHT FOR BAYERN! INCREDIBLE!
The scoring WILL. NOT. STOP. A long ball to the back post from the edge of the Bayern box and Hernandez heads it down. The ball deflects around and it's Coutinho once again who smashes it home.
85' - GOAL! COUTINHO MAKES IT SEVEN!
This is remarkable. Bayern break away again and it's Müller who plays the ball out to the left for Coutinho. His first touch is a heavy one but he's able to reach it with a slide ahead of two Barcelona defenders and the ball glides into the net. A goal against his parent club and Bayern have put seven past Barcelona.
82' - GOAL! LEWANDOWSKI MAKES IT SIX!
Bayern have six and Lewandowski has his goal. Coutinho has the ball into the Barcelona box and reaches the byline before smashing a cross across goal for Lewandowski to head into an empty net. It's really been that simple for Bayern tonight, an incredible performance.
80' - INTO THE FINAL 10...
Barcelona have not threatened Neuer in the Bayern goal since Suarez's goal in the 57th minute. Since then, it's been all Bayern, who have registered 22 attempts on goal to Barcelona's eight so far this evening. An absolute masterclass from Flick and his side who will not be satisfied. A semi-final against Manchester City or Lyon awaits.
76' - DOUBLE CHANGE
Flick brings on Niklas Süle and Philippe Coutinho for Boateng and Gnabry here, Coutinho playing against his parent club.
75' - BAYERN HAVE FIVE, LEWY HAS NONE
The Bundesliga champions have shown tonight that they can do the business even when their talisman isn't on the scoresheet. In fact, Bayern have now set a new club record for most goals in a single season in all competitions (152). The previous record of 151 was set in 2012/13 when the club won the treble of Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League treble.
68' - COMAN IS ON
The Frenchman is on in place of Perisic and almost scores with his first touch as he's found in front of goal by Lewandowski with space in the Barcelona box coming thick and fast. Bayern are going for more and more here and at the moment, nothing will stop them getting it.
63' - GOAL! WHAT A STUNNING GOAL AND ALL FROM DAVIES!
Absolutely incredible play from Alphonso Davies. He stands up Semedo on the far side and teases him before darting past the Barcelona full-back with his Bundesliga record speed. He continues to race into the box along the byline and looks up to play the perfect cutback for Kimmich in front of goal.
60' - HALF AN HOUR TO GO
Bayern know what Barcelona are capable of and will want to find another goal to make sure of their place in the Champions League semi-finals. A two-goal lead is good, but they know it is not enough to be sure with 30 minutes still to play here and Barcelona's tails up after their second goal.
57' - BARCELONA FIND A GOAL
A long ball down the left deep into Bayern's half finds Alba, and he cuts it back to Suarez on the edge of the box. A nice turn inside past Boateng sends Suarez in on goal and he slots the ball beyond Neuer to reduce Bayern's lead to two goals.
53' - OFFSIDE GOAL FOR BAYERN
The Bundesliga side break superbly with Lewandowski down the left. He can't quick pick his pass before coming inside onto his favoured right foot and looking for Müller in the box. Müller then returns the pass to him to slot home, but the Germany international was in an offside position when the pass was played.
51' - GORETZKA FIRES OVER
Another long ball over puts Bayern in with Müller this time clipping Goretzka in behind. He controls well on his chest but can't keep his volley down from just inside the Barcelona box, but Bayern are showing now mercy here.
49' - PERISIC WITH A FIERCE STRIKE!
Neuer sends a long ball forward and it lofts over the Barcelona defence for Müller to race onto. He does well to hold it up as well as spin to play the ball ahead of Perisic to hit from the edge of the Spanish side's box, and his strike stings the palms of ter Stegen, but the German holds on this time.
46' - SECOND HALF BEGINS!
We're back underway here in Lisbon and Barcelona have made a change at the break. Antoine Griezmann is on, replacing Sergi Roberto.
HALF-TIME!
Well, what an incredible half of football that was. For a moment Bayern look flustered after Alaba's own-goal which brought the game level following Müller's opener. Since then, however, Bayern powered home three goals in the space of 10 first half minutes to take the game away from Barcelona as it stands. 4-1 the score at the break, the most goals Barcelona have conceded in a single half of Champions League football and Bayern have one foot in the semi-finals.
45' - NEUER SAVES FROM SUAREZ
The Barcelona striker has a moment of space on the Bayern box to take a shot at goal, and even then can't catch it all as Boateng comes from nowhere to make an attempted block. His shot gets away but Neuer makes a simple save.
41' - BAYERN WORKING WITH LESS THAN USUAL
The Bundesliga champions averaged over 60 percent of possession in league games this past season and are working with just over 50 here so far against Barcelona. However, Bayern are proving that they can do their business without as much of the ball as usual. Flick's side have been outstandingly clinical, taking all of their big chances created so far.
35' - A HELPFUL REMINDER...
This is still only the first half here in Lisbon, and Bayern lead by three goals. The Bundesliga and DFB Cup winners though will know that they can't get ahead of themselves with this scoreline. Barcelona have shown they are capable of breaching the Bayern defence, and Flick and his side rarely switch off in a game.
31' - GOAL! MÜLLER MAKES IT FOUR!
This is outstanding from Bayern! The ball goes out wide to Kimmich on the far corner of the box and he whips in a first-time cross towards the near post, Müller matches the cross with his run to connect perfectly and smash the ball home. Bayern are three goals ahead in the first half! EMPHATIC!
28' - GOAL! GNABRY GIVES BAYERN A THIRD!
It's clinical here from the Bundesliga champions and they now have a two-goal lead. An outstanding lobbed pass from Goretzka over the Barcelona defence, spotting the run of Gnabry in behind, gives the Germany international a chance on goal. He holds off Lenglet and fires the ball beyond ter Stegen into the far bottom corner.
24' - THIAGO FIRES OVER
It looks like Bayern have really found their groove now. Winning the ball off Barcelona in their own half or gathering possession having forced the Spanish side to go long. It's working now, but Barcelona are still looking to come forward when possible and the Bundesliga champions are playing a high defensive line.
21' - GOAL! BAYERN LEAD AGAIN THROUGH PERISIC!
Bayern steal the ball off Sergi Roberto in midfield and break quickly with Gnabry on the ball on the left. He runs inside and plays a perfectly-timed pass to his left for the overlapping Perisic racing into the box. The Inter Milan-loanee fires a shot across goal which ter Stegen gets a toe to, but can't keep out.
20' - NEUER DENIES MESSI
The Argentine goes on a mazy run towards the Bayern box and beats a couple of defenders on his way to shooting at goal from the edge of the Bundesliga side's box. His shot is close enough to Neuer for the Bayern No.1 to make a comfortable save, though.
18' - BAYERN BUILDING PRESSURE HERE
Flick's side have re-taken the control of this game and have Barcelona penned in their own half for the most part. Some late challenges have come in from both sides, but not yellow cards have been shown so far. Flick will want his side to keep pressing high up the pitch as they are but also to maintain their discipline.
13' - LEWANDOWSKI HITS OVER
Ter Stegen's kick goes straight to Thiago in the middle of the pitch and he lobs the ball forward. It's met by Goretzka who heads it into the box and Lewandowski meets it with an awkward volley which loops over the Barcelona crossbar. Bayern building pressure again now.
12' - FRANTIC START
Having taken the lead, Bayern haven't been able to keep control of the game until just now. Barcelona responded well to going behind and now Bayern must do the same after being drawn level. Davies whips in a cross from the left intended for Goretzka but it's well-defended. If the opening minutes are anything to go by, we could well expect more goals here.
9' - NEUER DENIES SUAREZ!
Barcelona are finding space in behind the Bayern defence and through midfield but Neuer denies Suarez from close range this time. Moments later, Messi swings in an attempted cross from the right and it curls towards goal, bouncing back out off the far post. Bayern have to find their feet here quickly and re-group.
7' - BARCELONA LEVEL
It's Alaba who has put the ball in his own net. Barcelona beat Bayern's high defensive line with a long ball over Kimmich down the left flank. Alba searches for Suarez in the box and Alaba goes for a volleyed-block, but can only slice the ball into his own net. Bayern back to square one early on here.
4' - GOAL! MÜLLER PUTS BAYERN AHEAD!
Just like that, Bayern are ahead and it's Müller with the goal. Perisic is sent down the left wing and has all the time in the world to pick the right pass. He finds Müller on the edge and he passes to Lewandowski in the box with his first touch before having the ball come back his way from Bayern's No.9, and Müller duly slots the ball into the bottom corner.
1' - KICK-OFF!
We're underway here at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon for the second Bundesliga-themed Champions League quarter-final.
WINNER TAKES ALL
The last two times that Barcelona and Bayern have met in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, the winner of the tie has gone on to win the title that year. Will history repeat itself once again tonight? We're moments away...
HISTORY FOR MÜLLER TONIGHT
Bayern's 'Raumdeuter' and the Bundesliga's new record assist-maker in a single season can add another milestone to his treasure chest of career highlights tonight. His appearance tonight will make it 113 in the Champions League, making him the record appearance-maker of any German player in the competition ahead of Philipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer, Oliver Kahn and Toni Kroos.
THE NEXT STEP IN FLICK'S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
Bayern's turnaround under Flick has been nothing short of incredible. Under him, the record champions have won 30 out of 33 competitive matches, scoring 104 goals and conceding just 24.
Both Flick and his Bayern players (among them three of Germany's world champions in Neuer, Boateng and Müller) have described this remaining Champions League campaign as similar to a World Cup, with the teams in camps and facing all-or-nothing knockout ties. Experience is a major bonus in these unusual conditions. Bayern have it in abundance.
BAYERN THE WORLD'S FORM TEAM
Bayern arrive in Portugal on the back of a scintillating run of results: 23 competitive matches in 2020 and not a single defeat. In total, that unbeaten run stretches to 27 fixtures going back to the 3-1 win over Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur in their final Champions League Group B game last December.
Since a 0-0 draw with Leipzig on 9 February, the Munich side have won ALL 18 matches across the league, cup and in Europe - a record run for a German club in professional football. In that time, they've netted 56 goals (3.1 per game), conceded just 13 (0.7 per game) and kept clean sheets in fully half of the matches.
"DAVIES WILL TAKE CARE OF MESSI" - RUMMENIGGE
"It's a difficult and interesting task, but we have a good 'Messi stopper'. If Messi plays on his side, Alphonso will take care of him. He hasn't really been outpaced or dribbled past this season."
Those the words of Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in the build-up to tonight's game. Alphonso Davies' stock has soared during the 2019/20 season with outstanding performances from left-back when Bayern needed them most. Tonight, the Canadian will face his childhood hero for the first time, providing arguably his most difficult challenge to date.
LEWANDOWSKI VS. MESSI
Two of the greatest goalscorers of their generation go head-to-head as Bayern and Robert Lewandowski take on Lionel Messi's Barcelona. It's not often that Lionel Messi's name is outshined by another, but this season that's exactly the case with Lewandowski in the form of his life. The Pole has scored as many goals (13) in this season's Champions League campaign as Barcelona themselves. He, as always, will be one of Bayern's most important players.
BAYERN TEAM NEWS
Niklas Süle and Kingsley Coman are fit, but only enough for a place on the Bayern bench this evening. Ahead of them start both Jerome Boateng and Ivan Perisic, who also played from the beginning in Bayern's 4-1 last 16 second leg victory over Chelsea just five days ago.
WELCOME!
After the magnificent night that RB Leipzig had last night in defeating Atletico Madrid 2-1 in their Champions League quarter-final, tonight is the turn of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich to re-enter the tournament as they face Barcelona for a place in the semi-finals alongside Leipzig.
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