Latest News
Brilliant Bayern humiliate hapless Barca with 8-2 crushing
German champions Bayern Munich utterly humiliated Barcelona with an extraordinary 8-2 demolition job on Friday that sent them through into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Thomas Mueller scored twice for a rampant Bayern, who led 4-1 after 31 astonishing minutes, as Lionel Messi and his team mates were condemned to a thrashing that felt like the end of an era for the illustrious Catalan club.
“We feel devastated, although shame is the real word I’m looking for,” said Barca defender Gerard Pique, adding that the historic defeat called for urgent changes across the club.
Barca coach Quique Setien, who is unlikely to survive the looming inquest, called the drubbing “a tremendously painful defeat”.
Bayern coach Hansi Flick hailed an “outstanding” display from his side but stressed that they were firmly focused on the semi-final, which will be against Manchester City or Olympique Lyonnais.
Mueller added: “We had so much fun today. Of course, Barcelona are special, so we had to be even more aggressive and come back again and again.
“You can imagine we feel good after this match but we have to be quiet and regenerate.”
The scoreline recalled Germany’s 7-1 semi-final win over Brazil in the 2014 World Cup, a game where Flick was on the bench as the national team’s assistant coach.
It began with Bayern grabbing a fourth-minute lead when Mueller collected Ivan Perisic’s cross from the left and played a clever one-two with Robert Lewandowski before drilling home.
But within three minutes Barca had struck back – Clement Lenglet’s super long ball found Jordi Alba in space and David Alaba’s attempt to deal with his searching cross ended up flying past his own keeper Manuel Neuer.
Neuer then had to be quick off his line to foil a goal-bound Luis Suarez but was almost caught out by Messi’s cross-shot from the right which drifted through the area and struck the post.
But just as Barca seemed to have established themselves, the Germans regained their lead in the 21st minute — Serge Gnabry fed Perisic on the left and the Croatian glanced up to see his options before drilling past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Bayern then added the third as Barca’s defence was opened up again with ease. Thiago Alcantara was given plenty of space in midfield to find Leon Goretzka whose superb ball picked out Gnabry, who had got behind Lenglet and then made no mistake with the finish.
Flick’s side were running riot and it got worse for Barca when a low cross from Joshua Kimmich was turned in at the near post by Mueller — another goal of ruthless simplicity making it 4-1 at the break.
The Spaniards desperately needed to find a way to shift the momentum after the break and Suarez, one of the few Barca players to emerge with any credit from the encounter, provided a route back into the game with a fine strike, in the 57th minute.
Jordi Alba found Suarez on the edge of the box and the Uruguayan jinked passed Jerome Boateng before blasting home.
But Bayern were in no mood to turn down the heat and six minutes later they restored their three-goal advantage thanks to some outstanding work from their Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies.
The left back dribbled in from the flank, danced past Nelson Semedo to get to the byline and then pulled the ball back to fellow full back Kimmich to slot home and make it 5-2.
Somehow Bayern had managed to score five goals without prolific striker Robert Lewandowski, who had scored in his previous seven Champions League matches, getting in on the act.
Eight minutes from the end, the Pole put that right.
Substitute Philippe Coutinho, who is on loan at the German club from Barca, floated over a cross from the left which Lewandowski firmly headed home at the back post.
To add insult to the already painful injury, Coutinho then scored two more before the end, as Barcelona fell apart in unimaginable fashion to the brilliance of the Bavarians.
Latest News
Pakistan’s envoy to Afghanistan discusses regional security with top officials in Islamabad
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani, met with Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad on Friday and briefed him on the regional security situation.
According to Pakistani officials, the discussions focused particularly on security developments affecting Pakistan’s peace and stability.
Earlier on Thursday, Nizamani met with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. The meeting covered regional developments, including the evolving security situation and issues of relevance to Pakistan.
Dar stressed the importance of closely monitoring developments in the region, particularly those that could have implications for peace and security.
Latest News
Experts call for dialogue, economic cooperation in Pakistan-Afghanistan ties
Speakers at a symposium on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations have called for moving beyond a conflict-centered approach and promoting dialogue, economic cooperation, regional connectivity and people-to-people engagement.
Pakistani journalist Tahir Khan reported that the symposium brought together senior government officials, technical experts, former ministers and bureaucrats, former vice chancellors, business and trade representatives, academics and researchers to discuss contemporary challenges and opportunities in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.
The Area Study Centre (Russia, China and Central Asia) at the University of Peshawar, in collaboration with ASPIRE-KP, hosted the symposium titled “Beyond Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict: Advancing Regional Peace and Mutual Understanding,” according to a statement posted online by the Area Study Centre.
Former Pakistani senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, speaking at the event, referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where Xi called for efforts to address conflicts, including the situation in Afghanistan.
“On Ukraine, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and other international and regional hotspot issues, China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, continue tackling both the symptoms and root causes of these issues, and promote political settlement,” Xi said on Tuesday.
Latest News
Khyber Chamber demands reopening of Torkham crossing
The Khyber Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for the immediate reopening of the Torkham crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying its prolonged closure has caused billions of dollars in losses.
Speaking at a press conference in Landi Kotal on Thursday, chamber president Yousuf Afridi urged Pakistan to keep bilateral trade separate from political issues.
Afridi said the border had been closed for almost a year, affecting thousands of traders, transporters, labourers, shopkeepers and customs clearing agents. He accused the federal government of failing to fulfil its commitments to review border policies, promote bilateral trade and address security concerns.
He said Pakistan had so far suffered an estimated $2.5 billion in losses, including $1.64 billion in exports and $817 million in imports. A further Rs7.7 billion had reportedly been lost in provincial cess revenue due to the closure.
Afridi also criticised Pakistan for failing to hold a promised meeting with business representatives on resolving border issues and restoring trade with Afghanistan.
-
Regional3 days agoPakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye strengthen new Mecca Defence Alliance
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan drawn in Group A of AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers
-
Latest News4 days agoRetired U.S. general: ‘I was quite unhappy with the ending in Afghanistan’
-
Latest News3 days agoPutin: Russia in close contact with Tajikistan over Afghanistan security
-
International Sports2 days agoIranian clubs to face Gulf opponents at neutral venues in Asian Champions League Elite
-
Latest News5 days agoIran executes at least 20 Afghan nationals in 2026; rights groups raise concerns
-
Latest News3 days agoGermany allows IEA officials to enter country to coordinate deportations
-
Regional4 days agoTrump says Iran’s Kharg is being ‘blown to smithereens’, but gives no details
