Goals from Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski settled a battle of the big two in Champions League Group E as Bayern Munich claimed a dominant opening-game victory at Barcelona.
The German champions controlled the game, with Muller scoring his seventh career goal against Barca courtesy of a first-half effort that found the net off Eric Garcia’s back.
Lewandowski made sure of the win with a typically predatory finish, poking his 74th Champions League goal into an empty net after Jamal Musiala’s drive had cannoned back off the post.
His 75th came late in the game, as he once again showed his talent in front of goal with a lashed finish after Serge Gnabry’s shot had come back off the post and fell to him in the box.
Barca, playing their first Champions League since the departure of talisman Lionel Messi, were flat and offered little, failing to muster a single shot on target.
They ended the game with four teenagers on the pitch, which did at least inject some urgency and lift a subdued crowd of just short of 40,000.
They were still thoroughly outclassed, though, and by a Bayern team that were not even at their best.
In Other News – Sevilla 1 – 1 RB Salzburg
Sevilla was held to a 1-1 draw at home to RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday after a chaotic first half in which four penalties were awarded, three to the visitors, while the hosts were forced to play most of the second half with 10 men.
German striker Karim Adeyemi missed the target from the spot in the 13th minute and the Austrians earned a second penalty in the 21st which Croatian midfielder Luka Sucic managed to tuck away to put his side ahead. learn more
