Bayern Batter Barca in Munich

It’s been a while since you saw such a headline and it may be a while before you see it again, at least as far as Barcelona is concerned.

Never in recent memory has a team considered by many to be the best ever assembled side in the last decade been dished a thorough beating as it happened on Tuesday night in Germany. Not even the presence of one of the world’s finest players in history, Lionel Messi, could spare Barcelona the blushes at the Allianz arena, a stadium that will perhaps be etched in the memories of many Blaugrana supporters for years, many years, to come.

Bayern Munich seem to have booked their spot at Wembley for the Champions League final after out-classing and outscoring Barcelona at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night. The Bavarians put four, yes four, past Victor Valdez and surely should progress to the finals should Barcelona fail (as I expect) to stage one of the greatest comebacks in club football history.

Miracles do happen alright (cue in Liverpool’s dramatic 3-goal comeback against AC Milan in 2005 Champions League final) but if Barca can pull off this one, it would need more than a miracle to turn over a four-goal deficit.

The Spanish outfit were on the backfoot from the off and should have conceded a penalty when Gerard Pique handled the ball in the box but the referee waived the hosts’ appeal away. Bayern attacked with intent and were rightfully rewarded at the quarter hour mark put the Bavarians in front with a header.

The two teams waved one attack after another on each other but neither Barca nor Bayern could add another goal into the game.

The Allianz Arena would however erupt just four minutes after the interval when Mario Gomez extended Jupp Heyneckes side’s lead. A third goal was imminent as Tito Vilanova’s side failed to get a grip on the game. It came in the 73^rd minute courtesy of Arjen Robben who beat Valdez from the right albeit controversially as it seemed Thomas Muller had blocked off Jordi Alba allowing the Dutch to go unchallenged and have a clear sight on goal.

The fourth and last of the game arrived 8 minutes before full time, Thomas Muller bundling home to all but end the tie. Barca beaten.

To end this piece, I would like to retract the statement I made on my first paragraph. Instead of saying “it may be a while before you see it (Barca being humiliated) again”, it is right to say that that view is completely misinformed because if there’s anything that Tito Vilanova’s men has shown us this season, they are no longer the invincible side of the recent past.

Barca are on a free fall.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!