German Giants FC Bayern put themselves in a strong position to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals after a commanding 6–1 victory away to Atalanta on Tuesday night.
Goals from Josip Stanišić, Michael Olise and Serge Gnabry gave the visitors a comfortable 3–0 advantage before the break.
Nicolas Jackson, Olise again and Jamal Musiala added three more in the second half, while Mario Pašalić grabbed a late consolation for the hosts in stoppage time.
Bayern started with Jonas Urbig in goal, shielded by a back line of Stanišić, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah and Konrad Laimer.
Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović operated in midfield behind an attacking trio of Olise, Gnabry and Luis Díaz, with Jackson leading the line.
At the interval, Alphonso Davies and Musiala replaced Laimer and Gnabry, while Leon Goretzka later came on for Pavlović.
Davies was eventually forced off through injury and was replaced by Tom Bischof, with Raphaël Guerreiro coming on for Stanišić late on.
Despite Bayern controlling most of the contest, Atalanta created the first chance when Nicola Zalewski’s attempted cross drifted just wide.
Olise soon tested goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi and sent a free-kick over the bar before Bayern eventually broke the deadlock.
Quick thinking from Olise at a corner set Gnabry free, and the winger squared for Stanišić to tap in from close range.
Vincent Kompany’s men continued to press and doubled their lead when Upamecano surged forward and found Olise, who cut inside and curled a fine strike into the far corner from around 20 yards.
The third goal arrived soon after, as Urbig’s long clearance picked out Olise, whose superb first touch allowed him to tee up Gnabry to finish past Carnesecchi.
Bayern kept threatening before half-time. Urbig denied Nikola Krstović, while Díaz danced past a defender to set up Jackson, whose effort was saved.
Upamecano then tried his luck from distance, and Gnabry forced another stop while also rattling the crossbar shortly before the interval.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Pavlović saw an early attempt saved, but Bayern soon made it four after breaking from an Atalanta free-kick.
Díaz’s clever back-heel released Jackson, who finished confidently. Just past the hour mark, Olise struck again with a goal that closely resembled his earlier effort.
Minutes later, Musiala completed the scoring spree when he converted Jackson’s cross to make it six in Bergamo.
Bayern nearly added a seventh as Kimmich’s effort was cleared by Berat Djimsiti and Upamecano headed against the post.
Atalanta eventually pulled one back deep into stoppage time when Pašalić bundled the ball in after Krstović and Urbig collided while contesting a cross.
The Bavarians return to action on Saturday with a Bundesliga clash away to Bayer Leverkusen, before hosting the second leg at the Allianz Arena next Wednesday.
