Majestic Bayern Munich destroyed Porto 6-1 to charge into the Champions League semi-finals 7-4 on aggregate on Tuesday and remain on track for a treble in Pep Guardiola’s 100th competitive game in charge.
The five-time European champions, who lost 3-1 in the first leg last week, showed no sign of nerves as they dismantled the hapless Portuguese with an impressive attacking display for a fourth straight last four spot.
Despite missing Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and David Alaba among others, Bayern took the initiative from the start.
Reminiscent of Germany’s 7-1 World Cup semi-final demolition of Brazil last year, Bayern scored three times in 13 minutes through Thiago Alcantara, Jerome Boateng and Robert Lewandowski, to wipe out their quarter-final, first leg deficit and lead the tie.
We played a different game. We knew Porto better after the first game. Now we have to fight otherwise we will not achieve what we set out to do.
“I know what is expected of me in this team. It is about winning just like at Barcelona. We played a different game. We knew Porto better after the first game. Now we have to fight otherwise we will not achieve what we set out to do.”
Two more goals before the break from Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller, who became Germany’s record scorer in the competition with 27, finished off Porto.
Bayern took their foot off the gas after the break and Jackson Martinez pulled one back for the visitors in the 73rd before they were reduced to 10 men when Ivan Marcano got a second yellow card for a rash challenge on Thiago.
Bayern put the icing on the cake with their sixth goal in the 88th minute as they preserved Spaniard Guardiola’s impressive record of never having a team eliminated at the Champions League quarter-final stage.
At Barcelona…
Neymar scored twice as Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals for the seventh time in the last eight seasons by comfortably beating Paris St Germain 2-0 on Tuesday to complete an emphatic 5-1 aggregate victory.
The Nou Camp crowd were brought to their feet for Neymar's first goal as midfielder Andres Iniesta ran from his own half, skipping past three challenges, before delivering a perfect pass for the Brazilian, who rounded keeper Salvatore Sirigu and slid the ball home after 14 minutes.
PSG offered little resistance as Barca swept the ball around midfield and the Catalan side went further in front when Neymar headed home a curling cross from fullback Dani Alves after 34 minutes.
Barca eased off in the second half and were happy to hold on for a victory that keeps them on course to repeat their treble success of 2009.
"We did the same that we did in Paris, we came out and played our game and scored the goals we needed," Neymar said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster TVE.
"I think we are on good form, in the Champions League, in La Liga, everything and hopefully we can continue the same way."
