KOEMAN ON THE EDGE AS BARCA HUMBLED BY BAYERN
A ‘KOEMAN OUT’ banner was displayed at the Nou Camp, and after another miserable European night for Barcelona at the hands of Bayern Munich the Dutch coach’s future is now on the line. Ronald Koeman’s team were rolled over 3-0 but worse than the result was the performance. They defended deep, were swamped in midfield and posed almost no threat in attack. ‘I only had three forwards to pick from,’ said Koeman, who finished with four teenagers on the pitch. ‘We have players with a big future but right now we need players back from injury.’ In a totally dominant display by the Bundesliga champions, Robert Lewandowski took his Champions League tally to 75 with two goals, pouncing to toe-poke home in the 56th minute after Jamal Musiala’s shot had rebounded off a post, then adding a second with five minutes remaining, smashing the ball in from close range after another rebound off a post, this time from Serge Gnabry’s shot. Thomas Muller had put the German champions ahead in the 33rd minute with a deflected strike as Barcelona failed to register a single shot on target in the first half. A goalless draw between DYNAMO KIEV and BENFICA in Ukraine means Bayern take an early lead at the top of Group E. JUVENTUS, Chelsea’s next opponents in Group H, made light work of beating MALMO in Sweden. Brazilian defender Alex Sandro put the Italian side ahead in the 23rd minute and the visitors added two goals in two minutes at the end of the first half to take the game out of Malmo’s reach. Juventus captain Paulo Dybala made it 2-0 from the penalty spot before former Chelsea player Alvaro Morata, who won the spot-kick for Dybala’s goal, produced a clinical finish to make it 3-0.