Manchester City may yet win the Premier League, but Bayern Munich made it clear that they are nowhere near good enough for Europe's top class. The defending Champions League winners took City out behind the woodshed at the Etihad, beating them senseless before giving up a late goal for a relatively humane 3-1 scoreline that has Bayern once again, and rightfully, boasting that they are still the best team in the world.
Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich: Final score 1-3, FCB make statement with thrashing
Bayern Munich looked the part of Europe’s best team in Manchester.
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It took all of seven minutes for Bayern to go in front and it was Franck Ribery who did the honors, albeit with some help from Joe Hart. The Frenchman cut in before unleashing a shot from 25 yards that rightly troubled hard, but should have been parried away. Hart couldn't keep the ball out though, letting it beat him near post and the visitors had themselves an early lead.
Bayern wouldn't find another first half goal, but they still completely dominated City. Their pressure unraveled the home side, who gave the ball away time and time again. Toni Kroos caused City fits, as did Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Yaya Toure looked like the only City player capable of handling it.
So while Bayern didn’t add to their lead, and never really threatened Hart, their advantage was never really threatened. City never got forward and Bayern knocked the ball around with ease.
Halftime changed things, igniting the Bayern attack and City had no answer once the visitors started throwing more men forward. Thomas Muller proved to be the man who would take advantage of it with a 56th minute tally and four minutes later, Arjen Robben added one of his own. The final tally came, one again, with the help of a Hart's miscue, but those are routine at this point, just like Bayern's dominance is.
City did their best to make a match of it late when Alvaro Negredo had a gorgeous turn and shot to bring them within two goals, but it wasn’t enough. Not even Jerome Boateng’s red card, given for denying Toure a clear goalscoring opportunity with a tackle from behind, could really bring City back into the match. Bayern were better from the first minute to the last, and doing that to the Citizens puts the rest of Europe on notice -- again.
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