Blistering Reds down Barca

FC Bayern beat FC Barcelona 3-0 on Wednesday night, wrapping up a perfect group stage with 18 points from six games and a goal difference of 22-3. Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané handed Bayern a two-goal lead in the first half, Jamal Musiala rounding off the scoreline after the hour mark.

Bayern lined up with Manuel Neuer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, Niklas Süle and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Corentin Tolisso and Musiala featured in a twin holding role behind Sané, Müller and Kingsley Coman, with Robert Lewandowski up front. Marc Roca, Omar Richards, Bouna Sarr, Tanguy Nianzou and Malik Tillman took over from Tolisso, Davies, Coman, Süle and Lewandowski in the second half.

Müller and Sané on target

Once referee Ovidiu Hațegan whistled play underway, it was an evenly-balanced clash at first, with the Catalans looking to attack. Sané put a free-kick into the wall, Alba testing Neuer at the other end. A Musiala square only just evaded Müller, Dembelé firing over.

Barca keeper ter Stegen beat Lewandowski to a cross and denied Musiala as Bayern got more dominant. Müller soon opened the scoring when he headed a Lewandowski cross over the line. The native Bavarian saw another effort saved, but Munich twisted the knife when Sané beat ter Stegen with a rocket from 25 yards, and the sides turned round with Bayern two goals to the good.

Plain sailing

Sané almost made it three after the restart but only hit ter Stegen following a Coman square. The men in red effectively put the game to bed when Davies hared to the byline and cut back to the unmarked Musiala, who tapped in. Sané miscued a free-kick before his square to Lewandowski was intercepted.

The match ebbed as both coaches made some changes, and Bayern engaged cruise control now, but they were always a step quicker than their opponents. A fourth almost came in the closing stages, but Sané fired over. Coutinho tested Neuer, and Bayern completed the group stage with a 3-0 victory.

Bayern will be back in action on Saturday, when they entertain Mainz in the Bundesliga. They will learn the identity of their next Champions League opponents on Monday.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen