Bayern Munich have booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals in emphatic fashion, thrashing Red Bull Salzburg 7-1 at the Allianz Arena to secure an 8-2 win on aggregate.
Having only just salvaged a 1-1 draw in the first leg thanks to a last-minute strike from Kingsley Coman, Bayern were in no mood to give their opponents another shot at an upset here. They almost scored with a minute on the clock, Leroy Sane and Thomas Muller combining nicely before the latter set up Robert Lewandowski to force a low save from Salzburg goalkeeper Philipp Kohn.
Salzburg had some early chances of their own, Nicolas Capaldo seeing a shot deflected narrowly wide by Coman before Rasmus Kristensen menaced Manuel Neuer with a flicked header at the ensuing corner. That was as good as it got for the visitors in the first half, however, with a deluge of goals ending their Champions League dream before the game was even in full swing.
With 10 minutes on the clock, Coman landed a cross at the feet of Lewandowski in the box. As he turned to shoot, Salzburg defender Maximilian Wober kicked his standing leg and, with minimum fuss, he got up and sent Kohn the wrong way from 12 yards.
There was a sense of deja vu for Matthias Jaissle’s young side when, not long afterwards, Wober steamed into Bayern’s No. 9 on the edge of the area and, after a prolonged VAR check, the hosts were awarded another penalty. Other than a little feint in his run-up, Lewandowski scored a carbon-copy goal from the spot.
He completed his hat-trick within 10 minutes, a clever through-ball from Muller forcing Kohn to rush off his line. The ball ricocheted off Lewandowski’s shin, hit the post and bounced back out, allowing him to shovel in from close range.
Salzburg fell to pieces at that stage, retreating further and further towards their own goal and making a litany of mistakes. On the half-hour mark Mohamed Camara tried to dribble out from the back and lost the ball to Coman, who teed up the onrushing Serge Gnabry to lash a shot beneath Kohn.
Despite some temporary respite before half time, it got even worse for Salzburg after the restart. A spell of total dominance for Bayern ended with Sane picking out Muller, who duly made it 5-0.
Salzburg pulled one back with 20 minutes left to play, Brenden Aaronson bursting forwards and finding Maurits Kjaergaard, on as a substitute, who squeezed a shot into the top corner. It was a lovely finish from the 18-year-old and, on another night, it might have meant something, but as it was Bayern had long been certain victors and, with an air of inevitability, added a sixth and seventh through Muller and Sane before the game drew to a close.
TALKING POINT
Bayern back to their best. With two wins from their last five matches in all competitions, Bayern looked fallible coming into this game. Despite a healthy nine-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga, they have faced mounting criticism having stuttered at a crucial stage of Julian Nagelsmann’s first campaign at the club.
As such, this was a welcome return to form as far as Nagelsmann was concerned. Despite a difficult first leg against Salzburg, he will feel his side have momentum behind them going into the quarter-finals.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich). Lewandowski has to have the most agile brain in modern football. Despite his unwieldy-looking frame, his deceptive pace, uncannily prescient movement and nimbleness of thought make him something akin to the perfect striker.
While the game will be remembered for his 10-minute hat-trick, that was only one aspect of his performance. Along with Muller and Sane, he orchestrated Bayern’s attacking play beautifully and even laid on the assist for the seventh goal with a frankly ridiculous backheel.
PLAYER RATINGS
Bayern Munich: Neuer 7, Pavard 6, Sule 8, Hernandez 7, Kimmich 7, Musiala 8, Gnabry 8, Muller 9, Sane 9, Coman 8, Lewandowski 10
Subs: Sarr 6, Upamecano 5, Choupo-Moting 5, Roca 6, Nianzou 6,
Red Bull Salzburg: Kohn 4, Kristensen 5, Solet 3, Wober 2, Ulmer 4, Capaldo 4, Camara 3, Seiwald 4, Aaronson 6, Adamu 4, Adeyemi 4
Subs: Piatkowski 4, Sucic 4, Kjaergaard 7, Sesko 4, Tijani 4
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
10’ PENALTY! Coman lands a cross at the feet of Lewandowski, who turns and shapes to shoot from inside the area. Wober boots him and Bayern have a spot kick, which Lewandowski will take.
12’ GOAL! Lewandowski sends Kohn the wrong way and Bayern have an early lead.
20’ ANOTHER PENALTY! It’s deja-vu for Salzburg, with Wober charging into Lewandowski from behind on the edge of the area. After a prolonged VAR check, the Bayern striker will have another chance to score from 12 yards.
21’ GOAL! Lewandowski goes the same way, throwing in a little stutter in his run-up which fools Kohn.
22’ LEWANDOWSKI HAS HIS HAT-TRICK! It’s all over at the Allianz Arena, with Lewandowski scoring his third goal in 10 minutes. Muller plays him in behind, Kohn rushes off his line and the ball takes a ricochet which allows Bayern’s No. 9 to bundle in from close range.
30’ GOAL! Salzburg have gone to pieces. Camara tries to play out from the back and loses the ball to Coman, who sets up Gnabry to lash a shot beneath Kohn.
54’ GOAL! It’s getting embarrassing for Salzburg, this. After a period of total dominance for Bayern, Sane sets up Muller to thrash a shot past Kohn from the edge of the area.
70’ GOAL! Salzburg pull one back, Aaronson bursting forwards and moving the ball on to Kjaergaard who, from a tight angle, squeezes a shot into the top corner. It’s not a bad finish, that, especially given he’s only 18.
83’ GOAL! Just when it looked like Salzburg might save some face, Muller adds a sixth after some nice interplay with Sane.
85’ GOAL! It’s an absolute thrashing, this. Lewandowski turns provider, finding Sane on the overlap and watching on as his team-mate smashes a shot into the roof of the net.
