Chelsea’s Champions League campaign can be said to be almost over after they were dealt a major blow by Bayern Munich in the first leg of the last-16 tie at the Stamford Bridge.
The Bundesliga leaders followed in the footsteps of closest rivals RB Leipzig, who won at Tottenham at the same stage six days ago by coming to the capital and producing a hugely impressive display.
When the German club inflicted an historic 7-2 home defeat on Spurs in October, former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry was the tormentor-in-chief on his return to London.
Bayern had threatened from the kick-off when Gnabry struck clinically, twice early in the second half, after being set up by the Robert Lewandowski.
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Lewandowski surely snuffed out any lingering hopes Chelsea had of a comeback when he finished off another sweeping attack, fed by the brilliant teenager Alphonso Davies.
As if this was not enough, Chelsea’s misery was compounded by defender Marcos Alonso being sent off late on after a clash with Lewandowski when the experienced Jorginho had been ruled out of the second leg on receiving a yellow card for dissent.