So much has already been said about Bayern Munich this week, so much so that there perhaps aren't enough superlatives to illustrate the considerable comfort and ease with which they completely flattened Arsenal and all but sealed their passage into the quarter finals of the Champions League.
From beginning to end the game played out almost like a training exercise, with the Germans' control of the game, with measured passing, forcing Arsenal to merely chase shadows like puppets on pieces of string. Bayern had Arsenal in the palm of their hand, forcing Arsenal into a state of being stunned before the game had even properly begun, with a terrific volley from Toni Kroos a preface to the total domination that was to unfold.
Bar an uneasy fifteen minutes in the second half, where, by Bayern's impeccable standards, they conceded an incredibly sloppy goal; presenting a gift at the back post for former striker Lukas Podolski to pounce on and give the home side an advantage, there were very few moments of uncertainty. The Germans played the perfect game, never looking threatened and almost appearing to be able to attack and carve out chances at free will.
Two finals in the last three years does not lie, but it is clear to see that the Bundesliga leaders are an even stronger force to be reckoned with than the team that fell to Chelsea on penalties in last season's final. The summer additions of Dante, a bustling Brazilian defender, Javi Martinez, a spanish midfield pass-master and Mario Mandzukic up front have given them extra qualities, and ones that have even lead to two of last season's leading figures Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez being left on the sidelines. Bayern are a side oozing with quality throughout their squad.
Their current crop of players draws several comparisons to the side that made the final of 1999, only to lose in those famous last few minutes to Manchester United, and a possible repeat of that thrilling contest is undoubtedly on the cards. In Sebastian Schweinsteiger and Philip Lahm they have the kind of world class international players that they also had back then in Lothar Matthaus and Mario Basler, scorer of the opening goal in that Nou Camp final. Equally, they have a goalkeeper at the very top of his game and in the upper echelons of world football, just as they did back then in the monstrous figure of Oliver Kahn. However, they will perhaps feel that they are even stronger now, armed with a touch more flair and even more steel than they had back then.
The defeat to Chelsea in the final last year came in their own ground, The Allianz Arena, and there is no doubt about how much that will have hurt them. But as we all know, there is no animal more dangerous than a wounded animal, and Bayern will be both hungry and thirsty to be there again at Wembley in May.
And with the way that they are playing with such style and swagger, a confidence gained by a habit of continuously winning, few teams look like they could challenge them at this moment in time.
With Pep Guardiola's imminent arrival at the helm next season, it is hard to imagine how they could get much stronger, as I feel it is almost guaranteed that whoever beats Bayern Munich in this Champions League season will go on to lift the trophy. But football is a funny game, and every season throws out shock results, so we will have to wait and watch the drama unfold.
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