Champions League - Brilliant Bayern Demolish Barcelona (4-0)

Bayern Munich produced a devastating performance to thrash Barcelona 4-0 at the Allianz Arena and virtually kill off their Champions League semi-final. Two goals from Thomas Mueller and one each from Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben added up to humiliation for the former tournament favourites who found themselves utterly devastated. Barcelona dominated the ball but found themselves outclassed on every other level as the Bundesliga champions delivered 90 minutes of power, discipline, decisiveness and no little flair. Yes, Tito Vilanova's side will point out that Gomez was offside for his goal, and Robben scored after an illegal block on Jordi Alba by Mueller. They will lament a below-par Lionel Messi, who lacked sharpness after a hamstring injury - though he still played 90 minutes with David Villa and Cesc Fabregas waiting on the bench. But nobody will return to Catalonia feeling anything other than chastened after a lesson in converting possession into something more useful. The tie is not yet over, with the return leg at the Camp Nou next Wednesday. Barcelona won their second leg 4-0 against AC Milan in the last 16 - but Bayern are a far steelier proposition and on tthis evidence the Bavarians are just as likely to increase their margin of victory as have it trimmed. Messi's return headlined Barcelona's team news, but Vilanova's side still had their share of absentees - the inexperienced Marc Bartra started in central defence with Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano missing. Typically, Barcelona hogged the ball, but every time the visitors tried to move it into the final third they ran into a wall of tacklers. Bayern closed down diligently, and often went in two at a time on Messi. Once they won the ball, Bayern used it quickly and purposefully. Time and again they exploited space behind the adventurous Jordi Alba, giving Robben space to run into. Jupp Heynckes's side won eight first-half corners, and one fittingly led to the opening goal. Bar�a failed to clear Ribery's delivery from the left and the ball fell to Robben on the other flank. The Dutchman, uncharacteristically, crossed right-footed and Dante nodded back across goal for Mueller to poach expertly at the right-hand post, nodding the ball in despite goalkeeper Victor Valdes's efforts. Valdes had already been called upon to save once from Robben and once from Mueller, both from the Bayern right. At the other end, there were no alarms for Valdes's opposite number Manuel Neuer. The closest Barcelona came was from a rare swift attack - Pedro crossed from the right and Dante got a vital toenail on the ball to guide it away from Messi and out for a corner.