Holders Bayern Munich made a sparkling start to their Champions League title defence on Tuesday as Pep Guardiola’s side eased past CSKA Moscow 3-0 in their Group D opener at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern, attempting to become the first team to win the trophy in back-to-back seasons, got off to a dream start when David Alaba floated a vicious free kick over the wall and past keeper Igor Akinfeev in the fourth minute.
Croat Mario Mandzukic added a second goal in the 41st minute, heading in an Arjen Robben free kick, before the Dutchman made it 3-0 midway through the second half.
“We played good football especially in the first half,” coach Guardiola told reporters after celebrating the victory with his players on the pitch.
“I am very proud of my team because the first game after what happened last season was always going to be a hard one.”
Guardiola, who won 14 titles in his four years at Barcelona, is under pressure to deliver silverware after Bayern last season became the first German team to capture the Champions League-Bundesliga-German Cup treble.
The Spaniard replaced Jupp Heynckes in the close season after taking a year off following his decision to leave Barca.
Bayern seemed to take sports director Matthias Sammer’s criticism seriously after he had accused the players of being too lethargic in the 2-0 win over Hanover 96 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
RIDING ROUGHSHOD
There was no sign of any lethargy on Tuesday as the Bavarians rode roughshod over the Russians, stifling any forward forays while launching wave after wave of their own attacks in a one-sided affair.
It was Bayern’s seventh consecutive victory in the competition and their 10th in a row in a Champions League opener.
“It is always great to hear the Champions League song,” said Robben who scored the winner in last season’s final against Borussia Dortmund.
“It was a good start but we need to keep both feet on the ground and take it step by step.”
Bayern, missing the injured Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara and Mario Goetze, started with captain Philipp Lahm in a midfield holding position and Bastian Schweinsteiger on the bench.
The home team came charging out of the blocks, grabbing the lead with Alaba’s pinpoint free kick and hardly breaking sweat against the lacklustre Russians.
Bayern should have doubled their lead when Mandzukic was alone in front of goal and his weak effort was blocked by Akinfeev.
Mandzukic then saw a header fly over the bar before sending another effort against the post in the 37th minute.
He finally notched a well-deserved goal when he caught the CSKA defence napping and nodded the ball home.
CSKA, on the back foot from the start, had to wait until the 34th minute for their first shot on target but Vitinho’s effort was blocked by keeper Manuel Neuer.
With Bayern having won 12 of their last 14 Champions League games in Munich before Tuesday, the odds were always stacked against the injury-plagued Russians.
Robben was a constant menace with his darting runs and, after twice going close early in the second half, he drilled the ball home after a fine Alaba chip to kill off any lingering CSKA hopes.
