MUNICH (AP) ― For once, Barcelona was on the wrong end of the kind of rout it so often inflicts on others.
And with Bayern Munich in such devastating form, even a fully fit Lionel Messi might not have made much difference.
Thomas Mueller scored twice, Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben had one goal each and Bayern Munich routed Barcelona 4-0 Tuesday night in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal. Bayern humbled the Spanish powerhouse by taking full advantage of Messi’s subpar performance.
“We knew we were able to give them a good competition,” winger Arjen Robben said. “This team (Barcelona) has dominated Europe over the last five years and if you beat them like this, I think you can be proud.”
Bayern Munich midfielder Arjen Robben celebrates after his goal on Tuesday. (AFP-Yonhap News)
In a game perhaps signaling a shift in power, Bayern Munich sent Barcelona to its first four-goal defeat since a 4-0 loss at Getafe in the Copa del Rey semifinals on May 10, 2007. Barcelona, which has won three of the last seven titles, had lost by four goals only once before in the Champions League, 4-0 at Dynamo Kiev in the group stage on Nov. 6, 1997.
“We can be proud, we played a terrific game, everybody,” Robben said. “We fought for every meter and we didn’t give them much space to play.”
Mueller scored on a close-range header in the 25th minute after Franck Ribery’s corner kick went to the far post, where Robben crossed to Dante for a header back across the goal.
Gomez doubled the lead in the 49th against a defense missing injured center backs Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano. Ribery’s corner kick went to the far post, where Mueller rose over Daniel Alves and headed across for Gomez, who may have been offside.
Robben made it 3-0 in the 73rd when he worked around a pick by Mueller and slotted an angled shot past goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Mueller got his second goal in the 82nd off a pass swung in by David Alaba.
“When it comes to big games, I just go wild,” Mueller said.
Barca is in a hole it might have no chance of climbing from.
“Wonders are difficult to achieve, 4-0 is an enormous result. We want to play with pride and we’ll try (our) best,” assistant coach Jordi Roura said.
Barcelona left back Jordi Alba received a yellow card in the 89th minute and is suspended for the second leg of the total-goals series on May 1 in Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund hosts Real Madrid on Wednesday in the start of the other semifinal.
