Defending champions Bayern Munich proved
they remain the team to beat in the Champions
League with a classy 3-1 win at Manchester
City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Playing in England for the first time since their
victory over Borussia Dortmund in last
season's final, Pep Guardiola's side gave City a
lesson in relentless attacking to take control of
Group D.
A goalkeeping error from Joe Hart helped
Franck Ribery give the visitors a seventh-
minute lead and they added further goals from
Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben in the
second half.
Substitute Alvaro Negredo replied in the 80th
minute, before former City player Jerome
Boateng saw red for a last-man foul on Yaya
Toure, but on the ground where they had
crushed derby rivals Manchester United just 10
days ago, City were deservedly beaten.
Victory sent Bayern three points clear at the
top of the group and consigned City to a first
home defeat in Europe since 2008, four days
on from an unexpected 3-2 loss at Aston Villa.
Guardiola boldly elected to play without a
recognised striker, bringing Toni Kroos into his
team to replace Mario Mandzukic and
deploying Mueller as a 'false nine'.
Pellegrini handed Micah Richards only his
second start of the campaign at right-back, but
if the Englishman was selected to help muzzle
Ribery, the plan quickly backfired.
David Alaba ran in behind Richards to cross for
Robben to head wide in the third minute and
moments later, Bayern went ahead.
A sweeping pass from Rafinha found Ribery
wide on the left and he brought the ball down,
cut inside Jesus Navas, and dispatched a fierce
right-foot shot from 25 yards that beat Hart at
his near post.
It was another moment to forget for the
England goalkeeper, who has committed
several blunders since the turn of the year, but
his team-mates were faring little better.
With Bayern pressing high, City were unable to
get a foot on the ball, leaving Edin Dzeko as a
lonely outpost in the visitors' half and causing
rumbles of discontent to roll around the arena.
Save an early header from Richards that
Manuel Neuer easily caught, City were almost
non-existent as an attacking presence.
Dzeko headed wide during a succession of City
corners early in the second period, but Bayern
were soon back on the attack, with Robben
seeing a shot deflect wide off Vincent
Kompany.
Two goals in the space of three minutes put
Bayern out of sight.
They scored their second in the 56th minute,
with Mueller ghosting in behind Gael Clichy to
bring down Dante's lofted pass, evade Hart's
star jump, and tuck the ball home.
Moments later, Fernandinho was robbed on
halfway by Mueller, who fed Robben, and the
Dutchman streaked past Matija Nastasic before
beating Hart at his near post.
Hart saved from Robben, Kroos and Ribery
thereafter, while Mueller hit the post, before
City salvaged a measure of pride with a late
flurry.
After substitute James Milner tested Neuer with
a rising drive, Negredo curled home a fine
80th-minute consolation from the edge of the
box.
Boateng was then shown a straight red card by
referee Bjorn Kuipers after felling Toure as he
bore down on goal, with David Silva hitting the
bar from the resulting free-kick, but by then it
was too late.
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