Bayern see off Atalanta to reach Champions League quarter-finals

FC Bayern beat Atalanta 4-1 on Wednesday night to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals. Harry Kane handed Bayern the lead from the penalty spot midway through the first half and rounded off his brace in the second. Lennart Karl and Luis Díaz added gloss to the scoreline before Lazar Samardžić scored a late consolation goal for Atalanta.

Munich started with Jonas Urbig in goal and Josip Stanišić, Minjae Kim, Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof in defence. Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Karl, Raphaël Guerreiro and Díaz, with Kane up front. Deniz Ofli, Filip Pavić, Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson and Hiroki Ito came on for Pavlović, Stanišić, Bischof, Kane and Guerreiro in the second half.

Dominant display

Bayern were in the driving seat from the off as Díaz fired a shot off target, with Guerreiro and Pavlović denied by goalkeeper Marco Sportiello. Chances came and went for Bischof and Díaz before Kane saw an effort blocked, resulting in a penalty for handball on review. Kane saw his initial effort saved, but it had to be retaken because Sportiello came off his line too early. The captain on the night made no mistake the second time.

It was all Bayern and Goretzka miscued before Karl fired wide of the far post. Urbig was called into action for the first time when he made a fine save from Mario Pašalić and Díaz had a shot blocked as FCB’s aggregate lead was 7-1 at half-time.

Up to double figures on aggregate

The pattern was similar after the break as Guerreiro put a shot wide. Urbig denied Raoul Bellanova, but Kane shone when he wriggled his way past two defenders and found the top left corner of the net to score his 50th Champions League goal. It opened the floodgates and debutant Ofli soon won the ball, with Díaz teeing up Karl, who slotted into the far corner of the net.

Kamaldeen Sulemana tested Urbig, but Bayern were not done and Karl released the charging Díaz, who beat Sportiello with a deft chip to make it four on the night and 10 on aggregate. Isak Hien’s header went over before Pašalić’s flick at a corner allowed Samardžić to get one back, but it was little more than a footnote as Bayern stormed into the last eight.

The Bavarians will be back in action on Saturday when they entertain Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. They’ll take on Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals in April.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen