Clinical Barcelona outclass Bayern with Raphinha hat-trick
Bayern started the second half hoping for a comeback, but their hopes were dashed when Raphinha completed his hat-trick
In an enthralling Champions League clash, Hansi Flick's in-form FC Barcelona dismantled Bayern Munich 4-1, capitalising on defensive errors and showcasing ruthless finishing. Brazilian forward Raphinha stole the spotlight with a stunning hat-trick.
Bayern, managed by Vincent Kompany, endured a nightmare start when Raphinha opened the scoring just one minute into the match. Exploiting Bayern's high defensive line, the Brazilian calmly rounded Manuel Neuer before slotting the ball into the net.
Despite the early setback, Bayern appeared unfazed and believed they had equalised in the 10th minute when Harry Kane found the back of the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. However, Kane wasn't denied for long. In the 18th minute, the England international levelled the match after a brilliant combination play involving Michael Olise and Serge Gnabry.
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At this stage, Bayern were dictating the tempo and pushing to take the lead. But just as they seemed in control, Barcelona struck again. Former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski scored in the 36th minute after Fermin Lopez set him up, though Bayern protested that Lopez had pushed Kim Minjae in the build-up. The referee saw no reason to overturn the decision, allowing Barcelona to reclaim the advantage.
As half-time approached, Raphinha compounded Bayern's misery, cutting inside and unleashing an unstoppable shot to make it 3-1 in the 45th minute.
Bayern started the second half hoping for a comeback, but their hopes were dashed when Raphinha completed his hat-trick in the 56th minute. Lamine Yamal delivered a high ball behind Bayern's defence, and the Brazilian made no mistake in beating Neuer once again.
Kompany reacted with a quadruple substitution, bringing on Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, Kingsley Coman, and Leon Goretzka for Michael Olise, Thomas Müller, Serge Gnabry, and Joao Palhinha. However, Bayern never rediscovered the fluidity they had shown earlier in the match, and Barcelona comfortably held on to their 4-1 lead.
The victory ended Barcelona's six-game losing streak against Bayern and provides a significant boost ahead of their El Clasico showdown with Real Madrid. Bayern, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from this humbling defeat when they face Bochum on Sunday.
