Serge Gnabry stars as Bayern Munich humiliates Tottenham
Tottenham fans probably thought they had seen the last of Serge Gnabry after the German left rivals Arsenal in 2016 but he was back with a vengeance in north London Tuesday to help Bayern Munich thrash Spurs 7-2 in the Champions League.
The 24-year-old scored four second-half goals in an eye watering Group B result against a hapless Spurs side which capitulated after the half-time whistle.
The result, met by a chorus of boos from the home support, heaped further misery on Mauricio Pochettino’s team which has, in truth, struggled to find form for some time.
It had all looked very different in the first half when Heung-Min Son gave Spurs the lead but two superb goals from Joshua Kimmich and Robert Lewandowski ensured the visitors went into the break 2-1 ahead. What then followed was barely believable given how even the opening period had been.
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Spurs a shadow
Niko Kovac’s side began clicking through the gears in the second half and was soon purring against a Spurs side devoid of confidence and ideas.
Lewandowski netted a brace to compliment Gnabry’s haul as last year’s beaten finalist was simply blown away.
Harry Kane scored a penalty to bring the game back to 4-2 but even that couldn’t stem the Bayern onslaught with a number of Spurs fans streaming out of the club’s brand new stadium before the final whistle had gone.
The damaging defeat, played out under pouring rain, was the first time Tottenham had ever conceded seven goals at home.
“We are disappointed. Every single touch from Bayern was clinical. They scored with every touch. It is tough to accept. You have to move on,” said Pochettino after a lengthy post-match debrief with his players.
“This type of situation you have to face. It is tough and you need to be strong and keep going. Stay together, help each other and be all together.
“When you receive this type of result it is important to bounce back and believe in yourself. It is the only way to recover.”
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Bayern brilliant
Qualification from the group stage is still very much possible for Spurs but one must wonder what such a brutal hammering will do to a side already struggling in the English Premier League.
Meanwhile, despite this being a supposed transition year for Bayern, the Germans look to be a real prospect in this season’s competition and they sit top of Group B having won both of its matches this season.
