Bayern Munich 6 - 1 Porto: Bayern roar back

Xabi Alonso celebrates with his teammates as Bayern put the finishing touches on the 6-1 thumping of Porto. Picture: Getty

BAYERN Munich made light work of a 3-1 first-leg deficit as they battered Porto 6-1 to sail into the last four of the Champions League.

Scorers: Bayern - Thiago (14), Boateng (22), Lewandowski (27, 40) Muller (36) Alonso (88); Porto - Martinez (73)

It was supposed to be a night that would test Bayern boss Pep Guardiola’s mettle after last week’s disappointing defeat in Portugal, but his charges made a mockery of such predictions with five goals in 26 minutes in the first half. Thiago Alcantara, Jerome Boateng, Robert Lewandowski (two) and Thomas Muller caused the damage as they tore their Primeira Division opponents apart with scintillating passing, breathtaking movement and ruthless finishing.

Porto went into this clash unbeaten in the competition so far and were given a brief glimmer of hope when Jackson Martinez netted but Ivan Marcano was sent off late on and Xabi Alonso fired in the resulting free-kick.

Porto were happy to sit deep and try to protect their first-leg lead but, after just half an hour, they found themselves 5-0 down on the night. Thiago, who scored Bayern’s consolation at the Estadio do Dragao last week, kicked off the rout by nipping in front of his marker at the near post to nod home from Juan Bernat’s superb cross after 14 minutes.

Bayern levelled the contest on aggregate in the 22nd minute, with Boateng heading in after Holger Badstuber nodded Thiago’s corner back across goal.

Bayern then scored a truly exquisite third, which completed a three-goal 13-minute salvo to totally turn the tie around.

First, Philipp Lahm showed his class with an inch-perfect cross on the volley, before Muller unselfishly flicked the ball onto Lewandowski’s head and the Polish striker made no mistake from close range.

Fabiano fails to save Xabi Alonso's free kick for the sixth goal. Picture: AFP/Getty

Muller twisted the knife with a somewhat fortuitous fourth as his low shot was deflected off Bruno Martins Indi and totally caught Fabiano off-guard as the ball trickled through his legs.

With Porto shell shocked, Lewandowski picked up the ball from Muller around the penalty spot and showed ice-cool composure to work an opening before firing it low past Fabiano.

Martinez gave the visitors a glimmer of hope when he caught Bayern’s under-worked backline out to head in Hector Herrera’s cross in the 73rd minute. Martinez went close with a shot from distance that had Manuel Neuer flustered but that was as close as Porto got to creating a tense finale.

Marcano picked up a second yellow card for a wild lunge on Thiago with five minutes left and Alonso fired in the free-kick with aplomb.