LISBON: Bayern Munich scored four times in the first half hour as they humiliated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarterfinals on Friday in Lisbon to confirm their status as top title favourites.
Thomas Muller had a brace, and Serge Gnabry and Ivan Perisic were also on target in a frantic opening phase which saw on own goal from David Alaba as well for Barca’s temporary equalizer behind closed doors at the Estadio da Luz.
Luis Suarez scored Barca’s second before Joshua Kimmich tapped in Munich’s fifth after a sensational solo effort from Anthony Davies, before Robert Lewandowski and a brace from Philippe Coutinho completed Barca’s worst ever defeat in the elite event.
Bayern’s ruthless dominance in the duel of five-time champions at resembled that of the national team in their 7-1 semifinal win over hosts Brazil at the 2014 World Cup when they scored five goals early on.
Bayern have won all all nine Champions League matches of the campaign and 27 matches of their unbeaten 28 in all competitions since December as they march on towards a title treble after winning the Bundesliga and German Cup.
Lionel Messi’s Barca had some early chances as Bayern’s defence started a little shaky but eventually they stood no chance and end the season without a title, which along with Thursday’s scoreline should spell the end for their coach Quique Setien.
In the semifinals Wednesday, Bayern play Manchester City (managed by their former helmsman Pep Guardiola) or Olympique Lyon who complete the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Bayern join RB Leipzig in the last four from the Bundesliga after the eastern Germans upset Atletico Madrid and play Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Setien had Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal back from suspension in place of Antoine Griezmann and Ivan Rakitic while Munich's Hansi Flick fielded the same starting 11 as in their 4-1 drubbing of Chelsea last week.
It took Bayern just three minutes to go on top, with Muller firing into the bottom left corner after a one-two with Lewandowski.
But Barca bounced back four minutes later as Bayern had trouble with their fast-paced attack. Alaba tried to clear Jordi Alba’s low cross with Luis Suarez lurking behind him but the ball sailed into the for 1-1 over Manual Neuer.
Two minutes later Neuer denied the unmarked Suarez, Messi’s seemingly intended cross hit the far left post, and the Argentine then aimed right at Neuer.
But the Germans regained the lead in the 21st from Perisic, who fired home from a tight angle, with a little help from a deflection off Clement Lenglet.
That opened the floodgates for good as Gnabry added the third in the 28th after Leon Goretzka chipped over the Barca defence, and Muller then tapped in Kimmich's low cross for an incredible 4-1 scoreline after 31 minutes.
No team has ever scored four goals that early in a Champions League knock-out game.
Barca showed a little life when Suarez ran past Jerome Boateng and fired home low for 4-2 in the 56th but any glimmer of hope ended six minutes later.
The 19-year-old leftback Davies beat several defenders, ran down towards goal and passed to the other fullback Kimmich for Munich’s fifth.
Barca's utter humiliation was complete when top scorer Lewandowski headed his 14th goal of the campaign, and Philippe Coutinho – on loan in Munich from Barca – struck twice to end the rout in the final eight minutes.
Bayern can also draw confidence for the upcoming tasks from the fact that the winner of their dates with Barcelona has always gone on to lift the trophy, Barca in 2009 and 2015, Bayern in 2013. – dpa
