Bayern Munich delivered a dominant performance to crush hosts Atalanta BC 6-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Bayern Take Early Control
The visitors seized control from the outset and raced to a three-goal lead inside 25 minutes.
Josip Stanisic opened the scoring in the 12th minute by tapping into an empty net after a pass from Serge Gnabry.
Michael Olise doubled the lead with a curling strike before turning provider for Gnabry, whose low finish made it 3-0 before halftime.
Bayern Extend Lead After the Break
Bayern maintained their relentless pace after the break as Nicolas Jackson struck the fourth goal seven minutes into the second half.
Olise grabbed his second of the night in the 64th minute before Jamal Musiala completed the rout with a close-range volley three minutes later.
Atalanta Grab Late Consolation
Mario Pasalic pulled one back for Atalanta in stoppage time, but the late goal did little to change the mood.
Kompany Urges Focus Ahead of Second Leg
Despite the emphatic result, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany urged caution ahead of the return leg at the Allianz Arena.
“There is still the second leg to play, so we have to stay focused,” he told reporters.
“You can’t predict a result like this. I thought it would be really tough, but the players had a fantastic night.”
Atalanta Admit Bayern’s Dominance
Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino admitted the Italian side had been outclassed.
“Bayern are an incredibly strong team and tonight’s match was a tough challenge against a top opponent,” he said.
Meanwhile, Atalanta captain Marten de Roon added:
“Conceding six goals is not something we want to repeat.”
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