Source: Eurosport
Brilliant Barca Brush Bayern Aside
Barcelona took a giant step towards the semi-finals of the Champions League tonight as they thrashed Bayern Munich 4-0 at the Nou Camp.[LNB]Barca's rampant strikeforce did the damage in a completely one-sided first half.[LNB]The Catalans raced into a two-goal lead within 12 minutes as Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o struck early on.[LNB]And the locals' dominance brought two more goals before half-time, with Thierry Henry setting up Messi for his second seven minutes before the break and then slotting home a fourth himself just before the interval.[LNB]Bayern had advanced to the quarter-finals in style, thrashing Sporting Lisbon 12-1 on aggregate to seal a spot in the last eight.[LNB]But Jurgen Klinsmann's side have been less impressive in the Bundesliga.[LNB]They came into this match in fourth place and on the back of a humiliating 5-1 defeat at Wolfsburg on Saturday.[LNB]With Xavi and Andres Iniesta pulling the strings in midfield and Messi, Eto'o and Henry causing havoc up front, Pep Guardiola's side soon took control of the game.[LNB]Barca went in front. as they tore the visitors' defence apart with a flowing move and Eto'o set up Messi, who drilled a neat finish past Hans-Jorg Butt to open the floodgates.[LNB]And three minutes later, Messi returned the compliment as he slid a deadly ball into the path of Eto'o and the Cameroon striker clinically slotted past the helpless Butt.[LNB]France striker Henry was a constant threat to the Bayern defence and he set up Barca's third seven minutes before the break.[LNB]Henry beat his marker for pace on the left and flashed a low centre across the six-yard box which Messi poked home with his outstretched right leg to give Barcelona a three-goal lead.[LNB]And two minutes before the break, the Catalans scored again.[LNB]Messi charged in from the right flank and laid the ball off to Eto'o, who in turn found Henry and the unmarked Frenchman slid a low angled drive into the bottom right-hand corner to virtually seal Barca's passage to the semi-final within just 45 minutes.[LNB]Bayern were also lucky not to go down to 10 men as former Barca midfielder Mark Van Bommel got away with a cynical elbow on Messi just before Henry slotted home.[LNB]And their dominance continued after the interval.[LNB]Messi's shot was pushed onto the woodwork by Butt just short of the hour-mark and Iniesta drilled an effort wide of the target with 12 minutes left.[LNB]In truth, Bayern had not been in the game and a goal would have been flattering to the Germans.[LNB]
