QUICK DOUBLE FOR GNABRY
SERGE Gnabry has fired Bayern Munich to the brink of the Champions League quarterfinals as the German’s double inspired a superb 3-0 rout of Chelsea in the last-16 first leg at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
Gnabry had tormented Tottenham Hotspur with four goals in Bayern’s 7-2 victory in north London earlier this season and the former Arsenal winger returned to the English capital to push Chelsea to the brink of elimination.
The 24-year-old’s time with Arsenal was a disappointment and he even flopped during a loan spell at West Bromwich Albion.
But he has been reborn with Bayern and his two goals in the space of three minutes left Hansi Flick’s side within touching distance of the last eight.
Star striker Robert Lewandowski got Bayern’s third before Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso was sent off in the 83rd minute.
Chelsea will need another Munich miracle in the second leg on March 18 to overturn the deficit at the Allianz Arena, where it famously beat the German club in the 2012 Champions League final.
“I have a lot of friends here. A lot of them were in the stands and I think they were giving me good power,” Gnabry said of his London goal streak.
“Three goals should give us a lot of confidence. But we need to be prepared for the second leg and we can’t take it serious enough.”
Meanwhile, on a Champions League night when Lionel Messi was expected to put on a show in the Stadio San Paolo that was once Diego Maradona’s home, the Barcelona forward did relatively little in a 1-1 draw with Napoli.
Dries Mertens tied Napoli’s all-time scoring record by curling in a 30th-minute effort before Antoine Griezmann equalised for Barcelona on 57 minutes after being set up nicely by Nelson Semedo for the visitors’ only shot on target.