Beiruting News

Bayern Munich produced a devastating performance to thrash Barcelona 4-0 at the Allianz Arena and virtually kill off their Champions League semi-final.
Typically, Barcelona hogged the ball, but every time the visitors tried to move it into the final third they ran into a wall of tacklers. Bayern closed down diligently, and often went in two at a time on Messi.
Once they won the ball, Bayern used it quickly and purposefully. Time and again they exploited space behind the adventurous Jordi Alba, giving Robben space to run into.
Barça lacked rhythm, and weren't helped by a sodden centre-circle, inexplicably over-watered on a rain-free day in Bavaria. While the conspiracy theorists had a field day, Bayern do not have to resort to underhand tactics at home, where they have now won 18 of their last 21 Champions League games.