Barcelona’s only hope of a silverware this season was extinguished after they were thrashed 8-2 by Bayern Munich, in Friday’s Champions League quarter-final tie in Lisbon, Portugal.
A brace from Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho and a goal each from Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry, Ivan Perisic and Joshua Kimmich, secured the win for a dominant Bayern side.
An own goal by David Alaba saw Barcelona draw level after conceding early while Luiz Suarez got his side’s second goal.
Bayern are now the first team to score eight goals in a Champions League knockout match.
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The win was Bayern’s seventh against Barcelona in 11 meetings in the Champions League.
This will be the first time in 14 seasons (since 2005-06) that neither of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo will feature in the Champions League semi-finals.
They will now take on the winner between Manchester City and Lyon in the semi-final next week Wednesday.
Barcelona had the game’s first big chance but Jerome Boateng outstretched legs denied Luiz Suarez from getting to a cross from the right.
Bayern got off to the perfect start as Muller put them 1-0 up on four minutes as he hit a left-foot strike beyond the reach of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen after a one-two with Lewandowski.
In the seventh minute Barcelona equalised thanks to an own goal from Alaba who sliced Jordi Alba’s low cross.
Barcelona had two quick chances to go in front on 10 minutes but Manuel Neuer denied Suarez a one on one chance before Messi saw his cross which grazed Sergio Busquet’s head and came off the post.
In the 20th minute Messi went on a solo run but saw his low effort well saved by Neuer.
Bayern went back in front on 22 minutes through Perisic who hit a low left-foot shot from a Serge Gnabry pass after Sergy Roberto gave the ball away.
In the 28th minute Bayern went 3-1 up thanks to Gnabry who ran on to Lewandowski’s clever chip over the Barcelona defence before shooting past Ter Stegen.
Things got from bad to worse for Barcelona as Muller made it 4-1 on 31 minutes as he latched on to Joshua Kimmich’s cross.
Bayern almost extended their lead on 39 minutes but Muller’s header from a corner was saved by Ter Stegen.
Three minutes into the second half Bayern almost got their fifth goal but Perisic’s low shot was stopped by Ter Stegen.
Bayern had the ball inside the net on 54 minutes but Lewandowski’s effort was disallowed after Muller was flagged for offside.
Suarez made it 4-2 on 58 minutes with a low left-foot shot after dribbling past Boateng.
In the 63rd minute Bayern went 5-2 ahead after Kimmich finished off Alphonsu Davies’ low cross after a brilliant play from the young left-back.
Messi went close to getting Barcelona’s third goal on 77 minutes only to see his low effort stopped by Neuer.
Bayern continued to pour forward for more goals and were rewarded on 82 minutes as Lewandowski headed in Coutinho’s cross unmarked to make it six.
Coutinho then made it 7-2 on 85 minutes as he collected a pass in the box before slotting past a stranded Ter Stegen.
And in the 89th minute Coutinho added his second of the night to make it 8-2 after collecting a knock down before shooting into the net.
By James Agberebi
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COMMENTS
8-2! Honestly, Bayern should be fined for this. What kind of wickedness is this? No respect for Barca, or Mr. Messi. Just a brutal destruction.
So happy for Coutinho. He was treated so badly whilst at Barca.
Your worst nightmare in this game called football, is to be on the pitch with an opponent that is faster, stronger, hungrier, and just all round better than you. Defensive tactics, parking the bus, rough tackles, will only work for a while. Eventually, the dam will break, and the floodgates will be opened.
Barca came into this match with too much respect for Bayern, perhaps because of prior lashings they received. The midfield diamond was too conservative for a fast, sleek, mobile Bayern side. And the lack of wing play had a significant negative impact on their offensive threat. Suarez was starved of service, and Messi was well policed, humiliatingly so.
In the end, the better side won. No ifs, ands or buts. Barca were dominated and destroyed in one fell swoop. A savage, cruel, ruthless annihilation.