Bayern Munich put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday by sweeping aside Atalanta 6-1 in a powerful demonstration of why the German giants are one of the favourites to win the competition.
In front in the 12th minute in Bergamo of the first leg through Josip Stanisic, Bayern are all-but through following a stunning brace from standout player Michael Olise and further strikes from Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson and Jamal Musiala.
Bayern have lost just once at home this season and the marauding display, which came with Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala both starting the game on the bench, left Atalanta with basically no chance of progressing.
A blockbuster tie against one of Real Madrid or Manchester City awaits Bayern in the next round, save for a historic collapse in next week’s second leg in Munich.
For Atalanta it will be a comeback too far after the thrilling way they got past Borussia Dortmund and into the last 16, and their near-certain elimination will end Italy’s participation in the Champions League for this season.
Being knocked out by European royalty is no disgrace for a traditionally tiny club punching way above its weight at home and abroad the last decade.
But it was a chastening night for both Raffaele Palladino’s players, who were applauded off by their vociferous support both at half-time and the final whistle, and Italian football.
No mercy
Even without Kane and Musiala on the pitch Bayern came straight for Atalanta, pressing relentlessly, and Olise twice tested the hosts’ goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi in the first five minutes.
It was Luis Diaz’s effort, deflected out for a corner, which led to Stanisic taking advantage of poor defending at the subsequent set piece.
Atalanta were asleep as Olise rolled his corner to Gnabry who, completely unmarked in the penalty area, pushed the ball on to Stanisic to net from close range.
Olise left Atalanta with a mountain to climb in the 22nd minute when he drifted in from the right flank and beautifully curled in his second Champions League goal of the season.
The France forward was again key for Bayern’s third three minutes later, his beautiful first touch leading to a Gnabry flying through on goal and effectively ending the tie as a contest.
Gnabry also had time to clip the crossbar as Bayern ran riot, and coach Vincent Kompany showed no mercy by bringing on Musiala and Alphonso Davies at the break.
Jackson drilled in the fourth in the 52nd minute and from there the night began to take an embarrassing turn for Atalanta whose fans could do nothing but clap when Olise leathered in the goal of the night in the 64th minute.
Jackson set up Musiala to guide home Bayern’s sixth three minutes later, and by the time Pasalic netted Atalanta’s consolation goal in stoppage time the away side could have had double figures.
But the small pocket of Bayern fans in the corner of the New Balance Arena weren’t complaining as their team rolled on towards a showdown with City or Madrid.
AFP