Bayern Munich produced an incredible display to sweep AS Roma aside on Tuesday night, in their Champions League Group E encounter.
The German champions cruised out of the Stadio Olimpico with a 7-1 win - after they hit five goals before the break - leaving the home team completely shell-shocked by the 36th minute.
Bayern have maintained their perfect record in the group and sit on nine points after three games. They will qualify from the group if they can win again in the reverse fixture which follows Tuesday's clash.
The result is also a boost for Manchester City, who are now set to fight it out with Roma for second place in the group. City blew a two-goal lead earlier in the night against CSKA Moscow, with their match ending 2-2.
Bayern started brightly, and Arjen Robben lined up directly against former Chelsea team mate Ashley Cole down the flank. The Dutchman got the edge on the Englishman early on though, as a trademark cut in from the left side of the box beat Cole all ends up. Robben fired a curling shot into the far corner for the opener.
Roma nearly hit back immediately though Gervinho, but the Ivorian was denied by the ever dominant Manuel Neuer in the visitors' goal. Neuer was to have an excellent night in goal himself - particularly in the second half - but the players in front of him were to make their statement first.
The fluidity of the Bayern attack was too difficult for Rudi Garcia's side to handle. A sublime move and series of interchanges led to the second goal in the 23rd minute, as Mario Gotze finished off clinically following a one-two with Thomas Muller.
More of the same followed a couple of minutes later, as Polish striker Robert Lewandowski got himself on the end of a cross from the left side by Juan Bernat. The match was over by that point, but Bayern's insatiable appetite for goals meant that worse was to come for the home side.
Robben added a fourth before a questionable penalty award for handball followed, with Thomas Muller making it five from the spot by half time.
Roma, to their credit, attempted to fight their way back into the game after the break. Garcia's half time team talk looked to make a big difference to the team mentality, and Gervinho was the man to spearhead a series of attacks. He hit the post eight minutes after the break, before Neuer denied substitute Alessandro Florenzi a minute later.
Neuer though, would pull off one of the greatest reaction saves you will be likely to see in any match this season soon after. Gervinho was the man denied again, after the former Arsenal man fired a point blank volley at goal from inside the six yard box.
The player many consider the best goalkeeper in the world though stayed typically big and smothered the volley - even nearly catching the ball - to keep his clean sheet intact.
Gervinho would eventually score with a header from point blank range, but Bayern would add in two more goals of their own in another frantic two minutes, with the match ending with a resounding 7-1 scoreline. Goals from Franck Ribery and Xherdan Shaqiri rounded off an incredible night for Pep Guardiola's side.
The defeat for Roma equals their heaviest ever European defeat, and they visit Munich in the return fixture in two weeks time.
ROMA (4-3-3): De Sanctis; Torosidis, Yanga-Mbiwa, Manolas, Cole (Holebas 46); Nainggolan, De Rossi, Pjanic (Ljajic 79); Iturbe, Totti (Florenzi 46), Gervinho.
BAYERN (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Bernat, Boating, Benatia, Alaba; Lahm, Alonso; Robben, Muller (Rafinha 60), Gotze (Shaqiri 79); Lewandowski (Ribery 68).
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