Match ends, Chelsea 0, FC Bayern München 3.
Chelsea's Champions League campaign is surely over after they were brutally outclassed by Bayern Munich in the last-16 first-leg tie at Stamford Bridge.
The Bundesliga leaders followed in the footsteps of closest rivals RB Leipzig, who won at Tottenham at this same stage six days previously, by coming to the capital and producing a hugely impressive display.
And, as when Bayern inflicted an historic 7-2 home defeat on Spurs in October, former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry was the tormentor-in-chief as he revelled on his return to London.
The 24-year-old scored four at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and he delivered the end product Bayern had threatened from the kick-off when he struck clinically twice early in the second half after being set up by the outstanding Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski surely snuffed out any lingering hopes Chelsea had of a comeback when he finished off another sweeping attack, fed by the brilliant teenager Alphonso Davies.
As if this was not enough, Chelsea's misery was compounded by defender Marcos Alonso being sent off late on after a clash with Lewandowski after the experienced Jorginho had been ruled out of the second leg when he received a silly yellow card for dissent.
Chelsea's lack of technical class exposed
Chelsea may have actually over-stretched themselves by getting out of a group containing Valencia and Ajax, key results being a win over last season's semi-finalists in Amsterdam and a freakish 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge, when they came from 4-1 down.
This, however, was a step too far.
The warning signs were flashing almost from the kick-off as Bayern, looking sharper and more inventive than the side well beaten by Liverpool at this same stage last season, sliced them apart.
Chelsea somehow survived the first 45 minutes in tact but the threat from the likes of Gnabry, Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman was evident, Thomas Muller coming closest with a header against the bar.
It was no surprise when Bayern opened up Chelsea with precision for three second-half goals and Frank Lampard's side simply had no answer in any area of the pitch.
When Chelsea had half-chances they could not convert them and when dangerous balls flew across the face of goal there was no-one on the end of them.
Chelsea looked a well beaten side once the deadlock was broken by Gnabry six minutes after the break and if there is any consolation, and in truth there is not, it is that the damage could have been a lot worse, such was the gulf in class.
They pulled off a miracle to win the Champions League against Bayern in their own Allianz Arena in 2012 - but there is no evidence to suggest they will come anywhere near the result they require in the second leg.
Bayern show high quality
When Bayern were comfortably overcome 3-1 by Liverpool in the second leg of their last-16 meeting at home last season, they looked a tired side in need of rejuvenation.
And while it is hard to take an accurate measure of just how good they are given how poor Chelsea were, this was still mightily impressive.
Lewandowski is a world-class talent completely at home at this level while Gnabry is approaching full maturity. Thomas Muller, who looked past his best, looks re-born.
And in 19-year-old Alphonso Davies they have a glorious young talent who has it all, raiding from left-back with pace, composure and end product.
Bayern have a love affair with the Champions League, are they in the process of rekindling it?
Man of the match - Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
'Sobering and brutally honest' - what they said
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard told BT Sport: "The performance was poor and sometimes you have to be brutally honest. They outclassed us in every department and it's quite sobering. The level of team they are is why they challenge in the Bundesliga and Europe year in year out. I'm disappointed we couldn't do more against them. We have to take it on the chin and work towards getting back to the levels we want to be at.
"If you look at the choice of passes they make, our choices have to improve. If our players have a bit about them, which I think they do, they will look at who they were playing against and the level they need to work to. We will always play with pride but I'm more concerned about the bigger picture. How quickly can we recover for the Premier League and how quickly can we get to the level?"
On the suspended players: "Jorginho is done by talking to the ref, which is unnecessary when you're on a yellow card. Marcos Alonso I haven't seen yet and I will look at it, but they are out of the game so it's an opportunity for someone else to come in."
Chelsea crumble to European low - match stats
- Chelsea have suffered eight home defeats in all competitions this season, their worst tally of home defeats since the 1985-86 season (also eight).
- Bayern Munich are only the third team in Champions League history to win their first seven games in a season, after Barcelona in 2002-03 and Real Madrid 2014-15, neither of whom went on to win the trophy.
- This was Chelsea's heaviest ever home European defeat and their heaviest defeat at Stamford Bridge in any competition since January 2018 (3-0 v Bournemouth in the Premier League).
- Only Barcelona (10) have won more away Champions League games in England than Bayern Munich (seven), with Bayern scoring 26 goals in their last 10 away matches in England (W6 D2 L2).
- Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry has scored all six of his Champions League goals in London (four vs Spurs, two vs Chelsea) - he is the first player in Champions League history to score all his first six goals against teams of the same nation.
- Gnabry has scored six goals in two appearances in London for Bayern Munich, having scored none in nine appearances in London for Arsenal between 2012 and 2014.
- Bayern manager Hans-Dieter Flick became only the seventh manager to win his first four Champions League matches, and the first since Diego Simeone in November 2013.
- Bayern's Robert Lewandowski has scored nine away Champions League goals this season, a joint record in a single season in the competition along with Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013-14.
- Lewandowski has been directly involved in 13 goals in just six Champions League appearances this season (11 goals, two assists).
- Marcos Alonso became the first Chelsea player to be sent off in the Champions League since John Terry was dismissed in April 2012 against Barcelona.
What's next?
Chelsea return to Premier League action with a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, 29 February (15:00 GMT), while Bayern travel to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on the same day (14:30 GMT).
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 13Caballero
- 28AzpilicuetaSubstituted forPedroat 73'minutes
- 4Christensen
- 2Rüdiger
- 24James
- 5JorginhoBooked at 49mins
- 17Kovacic
- 3AlonsoBooked at 83mins
- 19Mount
- 8BarkleySubstituted forWillianat 61'minutes
- 18GiroudSubstituted forAbrahamat 61'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 9Abraham
- 10Willian
- 11Pedro
- 15Zouma
- 33Emerson
- 47Gilmour
Bayern Munich
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Neuer
- 5Pavard
- 17Boateng
- 27Alaba
- 19Davies
- 32KimmichBooked at 49mins
- 6Thiago AlcántaraBooked at 45minsSubstituted forGoretzkaat 90'minutes
- 29ComanSubstituted forCoutinhoat 66'minutes
- 25Müller
- 22GnabrySubstituted forTolissoat 85'minutes
- 9Lewandowski
Substitutes
- 2Odriozola
- 10Coutinho
- 18Goretzka
- 21Hernández
- 24Tolisso
- 26Ulreich
- 35Zirkzee
- Referee:
- Clément Turpin
- Attendance:
- 36,761
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away6
- Corners
- Home3
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 0, FC Bayern München 3.
Post update
Foul by Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München).
Post update
Willian (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Philippe Coutinho (FC Bayern München) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Robert Lewandowski.
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Attempt blocked. Leon Goretzka (FC Bayern München) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joshua Kimmich with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Bayern München. Leon Goretzka replaces Thiago.
Post update
Corner, FC Bayern München. Conceded by Pedro.
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Attempt saved. Mason Mount (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Foul by Thiago (FC Bayern München).
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Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Bayern München. Corentin Tolisso replaces Serge Gnabry.
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Attempt missed. David Alaba (FC Bayern München) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right from a direct free kick.
Dismissal
Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) is shown the red card for violent conduct.
Post update
VAR Decision: Card upgraded Marcos Alonso (Chelsea).
Post update
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Marcos Alonso (Chelsea).
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Foul by Serge Gnabry (FC Bayern München).
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Willian (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 0, FC Bayern München 3. Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alphonso Davies.
Comments
Join the conversation
Maybe instead of pundits complaining about VAR all the time they should be complaining about the English refs that don't know how to use it properly.
Ever thought you’ve been had ?
Awful week for the PL. Need City to restore some pride tomorrow
* * * * * *
What?
How in God's Tarnation can the Cheaters restore pride?
"61 year old Chelsea supporter for 52 years.
We used to be consistently 20 points ahead of Liverpool in Premier,
This is 28th season of PL.
Liverpool have finished above Chelsea 15 times.
Chelsea " " " Lpool 13 "
After Abramovich arrived in 2003 Chelsea finished ahead 10 times until FFP arrived in 2013.
Since then only twice!
Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea
Stick to sports you know like fake rugby and rounders