Bayern Munich have extended their record-breaking unbeaten run in the Champions League group stage after cruising to a 3-0 victory against Barcelona at Camp Nou this evening.
Goals from Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard helped the Bavarian giants secure top spot in Group C, with Julian Nagelsmann's side one of only two teams, along with Napoli, to still have a 100% record in this season's group stage.
Bayern's comfortable win in Catalonia has also seen them extend their remarkable unbeaten run in the Champions League group stage to 33 matches – consisting of 30 wins and three draws – the longest such run in the competition's history.
As for Barcelona, their Champions League fate was already sealed before kickoff and they will now be heading into the Europa League for a second successive season after Inter Milan beat Viktoria Plzen 4-0 earlier this evening.
Xavi's troubled Barca side, who have won only one of their five games in Group C, struggled again against Bayern and they have now lost each of their last six meetings with the German outfit by an aggregate score of 22-4.
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It took just 10 minutes for Bayern to open the scoring, with Serge Gnabry fizzing a delightful diagonal through-ball from inside his own half towards Mane, who cut across Hector Bellerin and dinked his effort over the on-rushing Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Indeed, Gnabry was the provider again for Bayern's second just after the half-hour mark when he drove towards Barca's backline before feeding in-form striker Choupo-Moting, who fired a low strike from a tight angle through the legs of Ter Stegen and into the net.
Choupo-Moting, who is filling the void in attack left behind by Robert Lewandowski, has now scored five goals in his last four matches for the German giants across all competitions.
Just moments after Jamal Musiala came close to putting Bayern three goals in front, Barcelona were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when Matthijs de Ligt appeared to trip Lewandowski inside the area. However, VAR intervened and referee Anthony Taylor decided to overturn the decision as replays show De Ligt winning the ball before Lewandowski hit the deck.
Bayern remained the dominant force in the second half and Gnabry thought that he had added a third 10 minutes after the interval with a curling left-footed strike, but VAR adjudged the winger to be marginally offside.
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The tempo of the game dropped heading into the final 15 minutes, with Bayern happy to retain possession and run the clock down, but there was one final chance with the last kick of the game from substitute Pavard, who tucked away a close-range strike following a corner.
While six-time Champions League winners Bayern celebrated their second successive triumph in as many years at Camp Nou, five-time winners Barca ended the game without registering a single shot on target, leaving Xavi with plenty to ponder as they now prepare for life back in the Europa League.
Bayern will look to maintain their 100% record in Group C when they face second-placed Inter Milan in their final group fixture next week, while Barcelona will hope to end their miserable campaign on a high when they travel to Czechia to face Plzen.
Both sides will first turn their attention back to their respective domestic leagues, with Bayern taking on Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while Barca make the trip to Valencia in La Liga.
Oliver Thomas
