A strong FC Bayern has said goodbye to Robert Lewandowski with a show of force in the Europa League.
While the dream of the title in the premier class ended early for the ex-scorer and his FC Barcelona, the German record champions set another big exclamation mark in their attack on Europe’s football throne.
The superior Munich also won the prestige duel at Barca 3-0 (2-0) and moved into the round of 16 as group winners for the fifth time in a row. Sadio Mané gave Bayern a dream start with the 1-0 lead after ten minutes.
The currently outstanding Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (31st), who is making world footballer Lewandowski more and more forgotten with his fifth goal in the last four games, made it 2-0. Benjamin Pavard (90 + 5) put the final point.
“The most important thing is the group win. We did very well as a team against Robert. We were very aggressive. And then we got a zero – that’s great,” said “Man of the Match” Matthijs de Ligt happily at “DAZN “.
Munich, who are unbeaten in 33 group games, can now approach the duel with Inter Milan next Tuesday in a relaxed manner. The pressure in the league is much greater: Julian Nagelsmann’s team wants to continue the race to catch up with Union Berlin against Mainz on Saturday.
Mané ice cold according to Gnabry template
For Lewandowski and Co., the painful “relegation” was already certain before the game: Due to Inter’s clear win against Pilsen (4-0), Barca had no chance of second place. Appropriately, before kick-off in the football temple of Camp Nou, “Highway to Hell” roared out of the speakers.
For the top game in front of 84,016 spectators against Bayern, Barcelona coach Xavi chose “a rather cautious line-up”, as Nagelsmann analyzed at DAZN. He made two changes to his eleven – Mané rotated into the team for Kingsley Coman and Noussair Mazraoui for Benjamin Pavard.
But nothing has changed in the specifications. On the way to the title, you have to “point the way”, stressed Nagelsmann. FC Bayern want to “show what we can do,” added sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic combatively.
And the Munich team did that quickly. After a strong presentation by Serge Gnabry, Mané completed a solo effort with a chip, Marc-André ter Stegen had no chance. As a result, a game developed with many duels and few chances. Bayern had everything under control, Barcelona looked helpless offensively against the determined Munich. Instead, Choupo-Moting struck again after a fine Gnabry pass.
Penalty taken back for Lewandowski
Lewandowski, who scored 344 goals in 375 games for Bayern from 2014 to 2022, remained largely pale – always well protected by the snappy Matthijs de Ligt. It only got tricky once shortly before the break when the Dutchman attacked the Pole. Referee Anthony Taylor initially decided on a penalty (44th), but then reversed the decision after viewing the TV images.
Sven Ulreich, who replaced captain Manuel Neuer with a shoulder injury for the fifth time in a row, had a quiet evening at first. Even after the change little changed. Bayern seemed more determined and calm, even if they gradually shifted down a gear. Lewandowski was applauded when he was substituted (82nd) - he didn’t have a single shot on goal.