Bayern Munich have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League thanks to a 3-1 victory in the first leg of the match against Arsenal this evening.
Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller put the Germans in command before the break and despite a headed goal from Arsenal's Lukas Podolski, Bayern soon added a third through Mario Mandzukic.
Below, Sports Mole looks back over the action to see if Arsenal can argue that they deserved a more positive result.
Match statistics:
Arsenal:
Shots 8
On target 6
Possession 55%
Corners 2
Fouls 14
Bayern:
Shots 17
On target 9
Possession 45%
Corners 8
Fouls 17
Was the result fair?
Quite simply, it was men against boys at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal worked hard throughout and did cause a handful of problems - particularly in the second half - but they were well beaten in every aspect this evening. Bayern were quicker, sharper and much more clinical when it really mattered.
Arsenal's performance
It was the type of display that many Arsenal fans had probably been fearing heading into the encounter. There was no lack of effort, but when quality was needed, there was not much forthcoming. Some credit should go to Jack Wilshere though because he worked tirelessly throughout. Without him, the Arsenal midfield would look extremely ordinary.
Bayern's performance
Like the DIY product Ronseal, the Germans did exactly what he says on the tin. They played some slick passing football and took their chances. Then, when they didn't have the ball, the got among the Arsenal players and regained possession quickly. There was also a nasty side to their play, which all top sides require. On this performance, they will go close to winning the competition.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Philipp Lahm: It may seem strange to give a full-back this award in a 3-1 win, but the Bayern captain was outstanding tonight. While he is a more-than-capable defender, he got forward extremely well and caused numerous problems. He also claimed an assist for his side's third goal.
Biggest gaffe
Manuel Neuer was recently quoted as saying that he has been "bored" at times this season while keeping goal for Bayern. Well, when he did have something to do this evening, he was found wanting. Wilshere's corner was okay at best, but Neuer came and missed the ball, leaving Podolski with an easy header to score.
Referee's performance
The Norwegian referee was a little card happy this evening, but to be fair to Svein Oddvar Moen, most officials seem to be that way in the Champions League. Having said that, he could legitimately argue that all of his cautions were warranted. He did however get the decision to give a corner wrong which subsequently resulted in Arsenal's goal.
What next?
Arsenal: On Saturday the Gunners return to domestic action when Aston Villa visit North London.
Bayern: The Germans are also back in league action on the same day when they take on Werder Bremen at the Allianz Arena.
Liam Apicella
