Bayern Munich pretty much sealed its pass to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League after beating Arsenal 5-1 on Wednesday at Allianz Arena in Munich in the first leg of the round of 16 of the continental tournament.
Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski, a double by Spaniard Thiago Alcantara and Thomas Müller all scored to give the Bavarian club a vital and comfortable win, against an Arsenal team that was able to resist the constant attacks only during the first half. Chilean Alexis Sanchez had leveled the score for the visitors, off a rebound after German keeper Manuel Neuer saved the Chilean’s 30th-minute penalty.
With opportunities by Swiss Granit Xhaka and German Mesüt Özil, Arsenal could have even gone ahead in the first half, but they failed to take advantage of them and paid heavily for it.
The second half was a monologue controlled at will by Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who with a stellar performance dispatched Arsenal and have practically sentenced the series, although the second leg still has to take place at the Emirates Stadium on March 7.
Bayern scored four goals in the second half, but it could have scored more had it not been for the good performance of the Colombian David Ospina, who started instead of Czech keeper Petr Cech.
Much will have to change things in three weeks if Arsenal wants to overcome the disastrous result.
In the other game of the day, Real Madrid defeated Napoli 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the Spanish capital, overcoming an initial mistake by Costa Rican keeper Keylor Navas.
Just eight minutes in Lorenzo Insigne saw the Tico badly positioned inside the penalty box and sent a 40-yard shot past him to open the score.
Real Madrid reacted and Karim Benzema leveled the score in the 19th minute with a header shot off a cross from Dani Carvajal.
In the second half Real Madrid started more aggressive and pulled ahead thanks to goals by Tony Kroos off a pass by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 49th minute and Casemiro in the 54th with a spectacular volley from outside the box.
Real Madrid is scheduled to visit Napoli’s Sao Paolo Stadium for the return leg match also on March 7