Munich: Pep Guardiola would never say so, but he is pretty special too. The Bayern Munich coach enhanced his remarkable record of having reached the Champions League semi-finals in every season he has taken part in the competition, and in such emphatic fashion as to make his side strongly fancied to reach another home final in Berlin. Not even Jose Mourinho has delivered such consistent European success, and certainly not with such style.
Txiki Begiristain, the Manchester City director of football, was one of the 70,000 spectators spellbound by Bayern's first-half performance when they scored five goals in 25 minutes, although after this valedictory display his attempt to lure Guardiola to the Etihad Stadium will have to wait for another year at least. The Catalan has always insisted that he would see out the final year of his contract in any case, and after this affirmation of his side's enduring quality it seems almost embarrassing that his future has been questioned at all.
Bayern certainly embarrassed the visiting team, who had no answer to the passing of Thiago Alcantara and the movement of Thomas Muller, who as well as scoring, created two wonderful goals for Robert Lewandowski. With Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Javier Martinez set to join Bastian Schweinsteiger in returning from injury and the Bundesliga title likely to be wrapped up this weekend, Bayern will be formidable opponents in the last four, with their chances of regaining the European title boosted by a fully fit squad and no other distractions.
Guardiola had made just one relatively inconsequential change from the away leg defeat in Porto, with Holger Badstuber replacing Dante at centre back, but his team were unrecognisable from the rabble who conceded twice in the opening ten minutes last week.
The listlessness and inertia that characterised that performance was replaced by a relentless energy and attacking intent, leaving the visiting team shell-shocked and contemplating an undignified exit after 30 minutes. Julen Lopetegui, the Porto coach, had an excellent record against his compatriot and former teammate before this humiliation, with one defeat in six meetings with Guardiola, but such was the gulf in class on the pitch it will have taken all of his character simply to return to the touchline for the second half.
Mourinho's counterattacking success at Chelsea has removed some of the strut from the possession obsessives this season, in England at least, but at its best that style of play remains the most enchanting to behold. Guardiola took possession football to new heights at Barcelona and Tuesday's first half felt like a collection of his greatest hits, recalling that incredible night when his side thrashed Mourinho's Real Madrid in the Nou Camp.
While hogging the ball all along, Bayern had initially seemed content to bide their time, with a couple of shots from Lewandowski their only attempts in the opening 15 minutes, but thereafter they suddenly stepped up a gear, scoring five goals in those 25 unforgettable minutes.
Without the injured Arjen Robben and Ribery in recent weeks, Bayern have looked one-paced at times, although when they move the ball with such speed and accuracy this lack of explosive acceleration is almost irrelevant.
Alcantara's ease in possession had caught the eye from the start so it was fitting that he scored the opening goal in the 15th minute, although the manner of its arrival came as a surprise. Juan Bernat, the impressive Spain and former Valencia full back, provided a willing outlet down the left and, after rounding Diego Reyes, he produced a perfect cross from the byline, with Alcantara nipping in to score with near-post header.
Signing the Spain midfield player from Barcelona was Guardiola's one transfer request when he arrived at Bayern two years ago and this performance demonstrated precisely why, as well as illustrating the folly of David Moyes' procrastination, as the Scot, the Manchester United manager at the time, had the opportunity to take him to Old Trafford that summer.
Alcantara created a chance for Muller whose shot was saved shortly afterwards, but for the remainder of the first half every Bayern attack seemed to result in a goal. Their second in the 23rd minute was somewhat prosaic by comparison with the others, although at the time it seemed crucial to the outcome, with Jerome Boateng's header from a corner putting Bayern ahead in the tie for the first time, albeit on away goals.
Such calculations were soon abandoned as a result of the avalanche that followed, with Lewandowski's first goal in the 28th minute the best of a special evening. Alcantara released Philipp Lahm, whose cross on the half-volley was acrobatically helped on by Muller's volley to Lewandowski, who finished with a diving header.
Muller got in on the act eight minutes later, although his goal contained an element of fortune as his shot from 30 yards was deflected in off Bruno Martins Indi, but there was nothing lucky about Bayern's fifth, five minutes before half-time. Muller was again the provider, pulling the ball back to Lewandoswki, who showed great spatial awareness in creating enough room for himself to shoot around the body of Maicon and beyond Fabiano, the goalkeeper.
The second half was almost a non-event by comparison, other than another clear demonstration from Jackson Martinez that he is a predator par excellence as he pulled a goal back for Porto before Xabi Alonso scored Bayern's sixth with a fine curling free kick.
Guardiola's only concern throughout was a rip to his left trouser leg, but not for the first time it was his opponents who had fallen apart at the seams.
THE TIMES, LONDON
