Everyone can be reassured, Bayern Munich is doing well, very well. Victorious in only two of their last five games, the Bavarian team responded to concerns in the best way by crushing RB Salzburg (7-1) on Tuesday March 8 in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The Germans have qualified for the quarter-finals of the C1 for the tenth time in the last eleven seasons.
On the strength of their successful first leg, tarnished only by Kingsley Coman’s equalizer at the very end of the game (1-1), Salzburg firmly believed in the feat. Especially since the Bavarians have shown signs of feverishness in recent weeks, mainly in the imbalance between attack and defense.
But to approach this crucial meeting at the Allianz Arena, Julian Nagelsmann did not deny himself. Quite the contrary. He decided to start five attacking players including Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman as pistons. He was rewarded by his choices, the Munich steamroller getting into action very quickly thanks to the inevitable Robert Lewandowski, author of the fastest hat-trick in history in C1.
23 – Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick after 23 minutes against Salzburg tonight, the fastest hat-trick after a kick-off in Champions League history, overtaking Marco Simone with Milan against Rosenborg in 1996 (24). Flash. pic.twitter.com/fK1BYgs0Cm
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 8, 2022
The Pole was unstoppable scoring his three goals in just 23 minutes, allowing his side to quickly take cover. “When you have a Lewandowski in your team, it’s always a good idea to provide him with balls”, warned Nagelsmman on Monday when his striker had been weaned from balls in the first leg. His teammates then did everything to find him as often as possible. Behind, Lewandowski took care of everything.
On the opening of the score, his oriented control is to be shown in all football schools. Served by Kingsley Coman, he managed to open his way to the goal before being mowed down in the box by Maximilian Wöber. Robert Lewandowski converted the penalty himself (12th). Rebelote less than ten minutes later, with a new gesture of class from Lewandowski still illegally stopped by poor Maximilian Wöber. After a call to the VAR, the striker deceived goalkeeper Philipp Köhn on the same side (21st).
[ VIDÉO BUT] #FCBSAL
Robert Lewandowski does justice to himself!
After a flagrant fault in the penalty area, the Pole converts his penalty without shaking! pic.twitter.com/axE9TbSKFZ— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) March 8, 2022
On the other hand, he had a lot of success on his third goal. First because Clément Turpin did not signal a contentious hand from Niklas Süle at the start of the action, then because he benefited from two favorable counterattacks before pushing the leather into the empty goal (23rd).
The mass was already said thanks to the new top scorer in the Champions League ahead of Sébastien Haller (12 goals against 11). He could also have increased the bill even more if he had converted the first opportunity of the match (2nd) or if he had been less altruistic (64th).
He left the light to his teammates. Serge Gnabry first, author of the fourth goal on a service from Kingsley Coman (31st). Then Thomas Müller (54th, 83rd) served twice by Leroy Sané. The latter then scored the seventh and last German goal (86th).
The difference in level was such that the players of Matthias Jaissle (33) will not have many regrets to feed. They may rehash Nicolas Capaldo’s huge opportunity saved by the heroic defensive comeback of Coman (2nd). Or this half-volley in the surface of Nicolas Seiwald when the score was only 1-0. A strike finally deflected by Manuel Neueur who was making his return after more than a month of absence following knee surgery. The young Maurits Kjaergaard (18) still saved the honor with a heavy shot from the left in the skylight (5-1, 70th).
Still undefeated this season in C1 (like Ajax Amsterdam), Bayern Munich regained confidence by walking on the Austrians. The Bavarians above all send a sign to their future opponents in the quarter-finals: it is never good to be on Bayern’s path to the conquest of a seventh coronation in the Champions League.