Bayern Munich on Saturday toyed with a lackadaisical Chelsea side to win 4-1 in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League. With a heavy 3-0 win in the first leg, Bayern cruised their way into the quarterfinals with an aggregate scoreline of 7-1.
Bayern Munich’s star striker Robert Lewandowski kept his scoring form intact with a brace. Such has been his brilliance in this fixture, that Lewandowski has been involved in all of the seven goals that Bavarians have scored in both the fixtures.
Ivan Perisic and Corentin Tolisso were the other scorers of the night for Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Tammy Abraham scored the only goal for Chelsea in a match where the team from west London achieved the undesired landmark of conceding the most number of goals in a knockout fixture in Champions League in the club’s history.
Right from the opening whistle, Hansi Flick’s side made the difference between both the teams evident. While Chelsea required goals to overturn the first-leg deficit, it was Bayern Munich who played high-pressing football outperforming the visitors in pace and ball control.
The home team’s effort paid dividends when Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero fouled Lewandowski in a one-on-one situation. The Polish striker converted the resulting penalty with ease in the 10th minute.
The 31-year-old was in action again a quarter of an hour later when he got the ball from Thomas Muller who had caught Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic in possession. Lewandowski delivered a perfect pass to Perisic for the latter to tap in the second goal of the night.
Chelsea’s agony was raged further when a long ranger from Callum Hudson-Odoi was disallowed by VAR after it was found that there was an off-side in the build-up.
However, the Blues did manage to score one at the twilight of the first half. Emerseon made a brilliant run, beating Bayern defenders before firing a low delivery to Chelsea players in front of the goal. Bayern Munich keeper Manuel Neuer managed to cut the cross but spilled it at the feet of Abraham who tapped in an easy finish.
The initial moments of the second half saw Chelsea trying to equalise with a fresh intensity. But it did not last long as the home team took control of the game again and Tolisso made it 3-1 off a swinging cross from Lewandowski in the 76th minute.
The highest goal scorer of the season hammered the final nail in Chelsea’s coffin in the 83rd minute to take his goal tally to 53.
In the quarterfinals, Flick’s men will face Barcelona who defeated Napoli in another Round of 16 match on the same day.