Bayern Munich plot quarter-final program by routing Lazio
Holders Bayern Munich brushed off their latest poor domestic form by throwing down a good Champions Little league marker with a great emphatic 4-1 gain at Lazio in Tuesday’s last-16 primary leg to have a “huge stage” towards the quarter-finals.
Robert Lewandowski gave Bayern an early on lead before 17-year-aged Jamal Musiala scored his first Champions League goal on only his 4th appearance in Europe.
Stuttgart-born Musiala, who turns 18 Friday, is currently the youngest English goalscorer in Champions League history.
A Leroy Sane strike gave Bayern a three-goal half-period cushion at the Stadio Olimpico before Francesco Acerbi scored an private goal soon after the break.
“We certainly are a huge step closer to the quarter-finals,” Bayern mentor Hansi Flick told Sky.
Joaquin Correa pulled an objective back early in the next half to give the scoreline some respectability for Lazio.
“We were aggressive right away and went total throttle,” Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka said after his first of all appearance since testing great for Covid-19.
“I am pleased to possess played in such an awesome video game after a hard few weeks.
“That was important directly after we had sometimes been caught napping (in recent games). Issues worked well, that was an initial good step.”
Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio desire a near miracle in the return game in Munich on March 17 to attain the last eight.
“Bayern are the community champions,” said Inzaghi. “They definitely didn't need our flaws to create it even much easier for them.”
Flick pulled a shock by starting Musiala instead of Thomas Mueller, who was simply sidelined after testing great for Covid-19.
Benjamin Pavard was first also out with coronavirus, even while midfielders Corentin Tolisso and Serge Gnabry were both missing with thigh accidental injuries.
Despite dropping five details in the Bundesliga last week and delivering a depleted squad to Rome, Bayern needed significantly less than nine a few minutes before Lewandowski pounced on a mistake in the Lazio defence.
The Poland star purchased a weak back-pass by Mateo Musacchio - who was simply subbed off soon after - to dribble around Lazio’s veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina and fire into an empty net.
- Lewandowski passes Raul -
It was Lewandowski’s 72nd Champions League goal, taking him solo third on the all-time list before Real Madrid great Raul.
England Under-21 midfielder Musiala, who has reportedly opted to play for Germany’s senior side, then showed maturity beyond his years to calmly drill former Reina to make it 2-0 on 24 minutes.
The lead was extended just before half-time when Kingsley Coman’s shot was parried and Sane tapped in the rebound.
“We wished to show we were started up from the first minute, we took our probabilities and played good,” explained Bayern winger Sane.
“We used the ball good and put pressure on them at the back.”
There have been two goals in the space of three minutes soon after the break, with Acerbi turning the ball into his own net as Bayern counter-attacked from a Lazio corner.
Lazio were at risk of matching their heaviest home defeat in European countries having lost 4-0 to Chelsea found in the 2003/04 group stage.
But Bayern’s defence has frequently crumbled in latest weeks and Lazio forward Correa took benefit of poor marking to fire recent Manuel Neuer in the 49th minute.
Bayern are actually unbeaten in their previous 18 Champions League game titles, with only a 1-1 group stage pull at Atletico Madrid previous December denying them an ideal record of wins.
