Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Juventus: Bayern in pole position

BAYERN Munich’s bid to reach a third Champions League final in four years remains on track after they earned a deserved victory over Juventus in the first leg of their quarter-final clash tonight.

Scorers: Bayern Munich: Alaba (1) Muller (63)

A goal inside the first minute from David Alaba set Bayern on their way and Thomas Muller added a second just after the hour mark as the German giants built a healthy advantage to take to Italy for their return leg.

However, Bayern, runners-up in 2010 and again last year when they lost the final on home soil to Chelsea following a penalty shoot-out, will be wary of getting too confident.

In the previous round they beat Arsenal 3-1 away from home in the first leg but were then made to sweat for a place in the last eight after losing the home leg 2-0.

That was Bayern’s only setback during a run of 13 wins in 14 matches coming into tonight’s game, though, and they could hardly have had a better start against Italian title hopefuls Juve at the Allianz Arena.

There were less than 30 seconds on the clock when Alaba picked up the ball 30 yards from goal before unleashing a left-footed effort which, after clipping the end of Arturo Vidal’s boot, swerved past the hopelessly wrong-footed Gianluigi Buffon and into the bottom corner.

Another effort from outside the box led to their second goal in the 63rd minute. Buffon kept out Luiz Gustavo’s shot but the rebound was picked up by Mandzukic and he laid the ball back into the centre for Muller to tap into an empty net.

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Lahm, Van Buyten, Dante, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Gustavo, Muller, Kroos (Robben 16), Ribery (Shaqiri 90), Mandzukic (Gomez 90). Subs Not Used: Starke, Pizarro, Boateng, Tymoschuk.

Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo,Marchisio, Peluso (Pogba 75), Matri (Vucinic 65), Quagliarella (Giovinco 65). Subs Not Used: Storari, Padoin, Asamoah, Marrone.