Bayern Munich once again served Chelsea a harsh reminder of just how far away Frank Lampard’s team are from challenging Europe’s elite, the Bavarians running out convincing 4-1 winners in the sides Champions League last 16 second leg tie.
It was always going to be mission impossible for Chelsea after they were resoundingly beaten 3-0 in the first leg at Stamford Bridge back in February, and any hopes the Blues had of pulling off an epic comeback were extinguished after 10 minutes when the outstanding Robert Lewandowski expertly tucked away a penalty kick.
On 24 minutes Lewandowski turned provider, the Polish striker setting up Ivan Perisic to finish after Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic had been caught in possession in midfield.
Chelsea looked to have found a way back into the game – on the night at least – on the stroke of half-time when Tammy Abraham took advantage of some slack goalkeeping by Bayern number one Manuel Neuer to tap home from close range.
However, the Bundesliga champions again asserted their superiority in the second period, French midfielder Corentin Tolisso strolling into the Chelsea box unopposed and stroking home a volley from a Lewandowski cross.
It would seem fitting that the final goal of the tie would go to the sensational Lewandowski, the brilliant forward powering home a header to seal an emphatic victory for Hansi Flick’s impressive side.
? 13 goals in 7 UCL games this season….
? 53 goals in 44 games for Bayern in 2019/20!? Robert Lewandowski = ???#UCL pic.twitter.com/FtyxRJrKA8
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 8, 2020
Speaking afterwards Chelsea boss Lampard conceded his side were no match for a team of Bayern’s pedigree and rued the Blues individual errors.
“They performed alright. Difficult to say after a 4-1 defeat, not happy but when you concede two early we did get back into the game after that,” Lampard told BT Sport.
“When you match our Champions League appearances to theirs, I saw lots of good things in the team and also some of the bad we have seen this season. We had individual errors that gave them goals and at this level that will finish you off.”
Despite having already signed attacking duo Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, Chelsea have struggled defensively all season and Lampard hinted that there will still be plenty of activity at Stamford Bridge this summer as he looks to build on his side’s fourth place Premier League finish next season.
“It is a work in progress. It is not the norm for Chelsea. We lost the best player in the league pretty much in Eden Hazard,” Lampard continued.
”People would not normally commend coming fourth for Chesea, we want more but the feeling is we have achieved something with the group we have. Now is the time to think where we can improve.”
7-1 – Chelsea’s 7-1 defeat on aggregate to Bayern Munich was the second-heaviest inflicted on an English team in Champions League history, behind only Arsenal’s 10-2 aggregate defeat in the last 16 in 2016/17, also against Bayern Munich. Hammered. pic.twitter.com/aKgh7NqhgF
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 8, 2020
“We will look at that. We have worked at it already. You feel we missed where other clubs spent and improved. Recruitment is a huge part of football. Now is the time to see if we can improve and where we can improve.
“I feel like in a football sense I know where we can improve.”
Bayern will now face Barcelona in a mouthwatering quarter-final clash in Lisbon on Friday night.
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