After traditional powerhouses AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus were eliminated, Atalanta stood as Serie A's last hope in the Champions League round of 16. However, that fragile hope was extinguished by Bayern after just 90 minutes of the first leg in Italy, despite "the Bavarians" playing without their key striker Harry Kane.

The Bundesliga representative transformed Atleti Azzurri d'Italia into a stage to showcase their strength. Coach Vincent Kompany's squad exhibited complete dominance, maintaining 71% possession and registering 25 shots with 13 on target, compared to Atalanta's 8 shots and 2 on target.

Michael Olise celebrates a goal during Bayern's 6-1 victory over Atalanta in the Champions League round of 16 first leg at Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo, Italy on 10/3. Photo: *FC Bayern*

Atalanta's defense could only withstand Bayern's suffocating pressure for 11 minutes. Serge Gnabry broke free on the right flank, delivering a precise cross for Josip Stanisic to tap the ball into an open net from close range. This marked Stanisic's first Champions League goal and initiated a nightmare for the home team.

Following the opening goal, Bayern's performance became increasingly vibrant. Michael Olise curled a left-footed shot to double the lead, then assisted Gnabry for another goal, ensuring "the Bavarians" entered halftime with a three-goal advantage.

In the second half, Bayern continued their explosive display, adding three more goals courtesy of Nicolas Jackson, Michael Olise, and Jamal Musiala. Atalanta's late efforts only resulted in a consolation goal scored by Mario Pasalic in the third minute of injury time.

Following the match, coach Vincent Kompany expressed satisfaction with both the outcome and his players' tactical execution. "Of course, I am satisfied," he stated. "This is the performance we desired. In reality, Bayern could have scored one or two more goals. Our plan functioned exceptionally well today."

The Belgian tactician noted that the dominant performance was not unexpected, attributing it to Bayern's wealth of talented players and consistently high training intensity. "We possess significant quality within our squad," he added. "The players thrive in big matches like this. Our team's training intensity remains consistently high, which enables us to find effective solutions during games. Therefore, this performance does not surprise me."

Kompany disclosed that Kane was on the verge of entering the game after recovering from his injury. However, the match's progression rendered it unnecessary. "Kane was almost on," Kompany quipped. "But once the score reached 5-0, his participation suddenly became quite distant. We did not require him today."

On 14/3, Bayern will travel to face Leverkusen in Bundesliga round 26, before returning home to host Atalanta in the Champions League round of 16 second leg four days later.

Hong Duy