Merciless Bayern Munich eliminates a sorry Barcelona
BARCELONA — Goals by Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard earned Bayern Munich a 3-0 victory at already-eliminated Barcelona on Wednesday as the German giants clinched a spot in the Champions League round of 16 as group winners.
Bayern top Group C on 15 points, five ahead of Inter Milan who also reached the knockout stage after a 4-0 win at Viktoria Plzen earlier on Wednesday, a result that eliminated Barcelona in the group stage for the second year in a row.
With Barcelona having nothing riding on the result, it did not take long for Bayern to open the scoring through Mane 10 minutes into the first half after receiving a brilliant long pass from Serge Gnabry.
Sane beat Spanish defender Hector Bellerin in a 50-meter race and scored with a tidy finish.
Bayern doubled their lead in similar fashion 21 minutes later, catching the Barca defense sleeping and out of position.
Joshua Kimmich passed to Gnabry who, from the edge of the box, set up Choupo-Moting to score his sixth goal in the Champions League this season.
Bayern took their foot off the gas after the break but there was still time for Mr. Pavard to score in the very last play of the game, with a close-range strike from a corner. — Reuters
