UCL: Bayern Munich put seven past sorry Salzburg as Liverpool survive Inter Milan scare to book quarter-final places

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski grabbed the earliest hat-trick in Champions League history with three goals by the 23rd minute as the Germans steamrollered Salzburg 7-1 on Tuesday to book a place in the quarter-finals with an 8-2 aggregate score.

The 33-year-old Pole opened his account with two almost identical penalties in the 12th minute and 21st before netting on the break two minutes later for his fifth hat-trick ever in the competition.

The last-16 tie was all but over by the half-hour mark when Serge Gnabry beat goalkeeper Philipp Koehn with a low shot to make it 4-0.

The Austrians had not conceded more than two goals in a competitive match this season before Tuesday but worse was to come when Thomas Mueller turned beautifully in the box to drill in the hosts’ fifth goal nine minutes after the restart.

Salzburg teenager Maurits Kjaergaard got some brief consolation for the visitors in the 70th with his first European goal but Mueller bagged his second of the evening 13 minutes later before Leroy Sane completed the rout in the 86th.

At the Anfield, Liverpool had to dig deep to make it to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League after a 0-1 loss (Agg: 2-1) to ten Inter Milan.

Having come in the game with a healthy 2-0 lead, Liverpool looked relaxed from the onset and it was evident with manager Jurgen Klopp making four changes to the team.

Their crisp passing was a constant threat to Inter with their overlapping wing-backs frequently testing the visitor’s rearguard but Inter was happy to sit back and soak the pressure as they conjured a plan to exploit the hosts from the counters.

The attacks saw the Reds hit the post through Mohamed Salah with Mane being culpable of another missed chance but generally, Inter seemed to have had a plan and it worked magic for them in the second half.

Inter patience was to be paid in the 61st minute through Lautaro Martinez. Liverpool lost possession playing out from the back. Martinez was found, 25 yards out on the left. He took a touch and whistled a rising diagonal shot across Alisson and into the top right.

Just as Inter were upping the tempo, they were to shoot themselves in the foot after Alexis Sanchez picked up a second yellow for a studs-up follow through on Fabinho, catching the Liverpool man on the ankle.

Despite having a man more on the pitch, the Reds still could not find a way through, and although Jürgen Klopp will be more than pleased to have reached the quarter-final stage, an air of disappointment will linger, with Liverpool failing in their attempt to become the first English side ever to win their opening eight UCL games.