UEFA Champs: Bayern Blow Away Porto

A brilliant Bayern Munich defied the odds and overturned a 3-1 first leg deficit against Porto in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final return in scintillating fashion, booking a place among the four best teams in Europe for the fourth time in a row with an emphatic 6-1 win on the night and a 7-4 success on aggregate.

Pep Guardiola had been uncertain before the game, but his men turned on the style as Thiago, Jerome Boateng and Robert Lewandowski netted superb headed goals to put Bayern in the driving seat before the half-hour was up. Thomas Müller made it four and Lewandowski completed his brace in a stupendous first half, after which the German champions shifted down a gear or two for a long spell. Jackson Martinez pulled one back on 73 minutes with Porto’s first real chance.

FC Barcelona are also through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the seventh time in eight seasons after another scintillating display against Paris Saint-Germain. Two goals from Neymar – the first a beauty – meant the job was done by the 34th minute. From then on it was energy preservation, Barcelona-style.

“It’s practically impossible not to concede against Barcelona,” Laurent Blanc said moments before the game…how right he was.