Bayern Munich 5 Arsenal 1: Thiago Alcantara’s brace, Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller sink the Gunners in Champions League last-16 first-leg

ARSENAL need a miracle to advance to the last eight of the Champions League after they were thrashed 5-1 at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

A brace from Thiago Alcantara, a stunner from Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski's header and a late strike from Thomas Muller fired the German champions to victory, with Alexis Sanchez notching for Arsene Wenger’s side.

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Former Chelsea man Robben broke the deadlock in stunning fashion. The Dutch winger drifted in from the left before rifling home from 25 yards on 11 minutes.

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Munich were flying, but the Gunners hit back moments before the half hour mark when Sanchez grabbed an equaliser and an all-important away goal.

Lewandowski fouled Laurent Koscielny inside the area, and despite Manuel Neuer saving the Chilean’s penalty, the forward finally slotted home the rebound at the second attempt for his 20th goal of the season.

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Granit Xhaka then had a chance to fire the visitors ahead on 40 minutes, but his fierce drive from the edge of the area was straight at Neuer before the stopper denied Mesut Ozil before the break.

And Wenger’s men were punished for their misses inside eleven minutes of the restart, not being helped by defensive lynch-pin Koscielny being forced to leave the action through injury.

Philipp Lahm provided the cross for Lewandowski to bag a towering header with 53 on the clock before the Polish striker turned provider with a sublime backheeled pass to play Thiago Alcantara through to make it 3-1.

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After being denied by the crossbar and the hand of Kieran Gibbs, which was unseen by the officials, Munich did make it four shortly after the hour mark.

Thiago grabbed his second with an effort from the edge of the box, with his strike taking a wicked deflection off Xhaka outdoing Gunners keeper David Ospina.

And Arsenal's misery was completed in the dying minutes when Thomas Muller added the fifth, leaving the north London side facing a seventh straight Champions League last-16 exit.

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Stats, facts, goals and lols

• Arsenal fans could have been forgiven for suffering a case of déjà vu as many of them will have been to this amazing stadium on several occasions. There were just under 4000 away supporters here.
• Carlo Ancelotti went into the game have seen his team criticised despite their seven points lead at the top of the Bundesliga. In all competitions, they had lost just two games. Not bad.
• It took eight minutes for the first shot of the night. Ospina gathered a long-range effort from Arturo Vidal.
  

  

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• Arjen Robben has been around so long you would think he is 40. And he actually looks about 50. Well, he is 33 and still oozes class as he showed with his brilliant goal in the 11th minute. Ospina had no chance.
• The home fans will have enjoyed the moment but not all of them had a perfect view. Behind each goal at the Allianz is mesh  netting  which stops supporters throwing  stuff onto the pitch.
• There was finally a nervous moment for Bayern when Manuel Neuer spilled a free-kick from Mesut Ozil – but that goal came soon after. It was certainly an odd one. Missed penalty, missed rebound and then finally a goal from Sanchez. His penalty was poor but at least he got the ball in the net. Eventually.  A number of Arsenal fans, in home areas, celebrated but there were no problems.
• By the way, it was a penalty after Robert Lewandowski kicked Laurent Koscielny. Bayern were then furious that they were not given a spot-kick after Hector Bellerin stuck his arm out.
• Ozil had suffered a quiet game but was given a great chance to score the second goal in first half injury time but he fired straight at Neuer. At half-time, furious boss Ancelotti vented his fury at the officials.
  

  

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• In the first half Arsenal had just 21.2 per cent possession. But they had five shots on target to Bayern’s three.
• It was certainly a blow for Arsenal losing the injured Koscielny just a few minutes into the second half with Gabriel coming on
• Arsenal needed to remain tight but that did not happen. Lewandowski’s header was a cracker. Arsenal were unhappy that a goal-kick was taken as they were preparing for a wrongly-awarded corner.
• And it just got worse for Arsenal. Thiago Alcantra’s goal was well-taken but Lewandowski’s flick was superb. What a player.
  

  

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Big Picture

Dream Team Ratings

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Lahm, Javi Martinez, Hummels, Alaba, Alonso, Vidal, Robben (Rafinha 88), Thiago Alcantara, Douglas Costa (Kimmich 84), Lewandowski (Muller 86)

Subs not used: Bernat, Ulreich, Coman, Renato Sanches

Goals: Robben 11, Lewandowski 53, Thiago Alcantara 56, 63, Muller 88

Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny (Gabriel 49), Gibbs, Coquelin (Giroud 77), Xhaka, Iwobi (Walcott 66), Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez

Subs not used: Monreal, Welbeck, Cech, Elneny

Goals: Sanchez 30

What they said

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, speaking to BT Sport: "It is difficult to explain. I felt we had two good chances to score just before half time. I felt we were unlucky for the second goal the referee gave a corner for us at first. Then we concede the second goal and then the most important was that we lost Koscielny. We collapsed.

"Overall I must say they are a better team than us, they played very well in the second half and we dropped our level. We were a bit unlucky we dropped our level and they were better than us."

Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti: "The result is really important, we have the advantage. We have to prepare for the game in London well - we want to play the same as we did tonight. We want to avoid problems. This is only one game."