Bayern Munich gave Barcelona a brutal demonstration of how far they have fallen by strolling to a 3-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice in a rout at Camp Nou.
Without Lionel Messi for a first European campaign since 2003, Barca were outplayed by Bayern, who might have scored more but in the end settled for three thanks to Thomas Mueller's deflected opener and Lewandowski's double.
When Lewandowski made it two before the hour, the possibility of another humiliation in the mould of last year's 8-2 defeat by the same opponents in Lisbon felt very real.
Instead, Bayern delivered perhaps an even louder message about the gulf in class by easing off in the latter stages, as Barca's fans expressed their anger, dismay and finally a sense of resignation.
"It is what it is," said Barca's Gerard Pique. "We are what we are, that's the reality."
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said: "We could have been better."
Barcelona failed to muster a single shot on target, made fewer passes and have now conceded 10 goals in their past three European home matches.
Sergi Roberto was on the end of the loudest whistles from the home supporters and it was impossible not to wonder if the criticism came in part from disappointment at his lack of progress down the right flank, where Messi once created so much.
"They hurt me a lot because I know him, he's a spectacular person," Pique said. "And people need to remember he's not a winger."
Manager Ronald Koeman's own position has come under scrutiny in recent weeks and his 5-3-2 formation, which defies Barcelona's attacking traditions, will not have strengthened his hand.
Yet the bottom line was the lack of quality in the Barcelona line-up after their turbulent summer of sales, which was inferior to Bayern's in every department.
"We obviously wanted to compete better but it's what we have," said Koeman. "I can't fault the effort of the players."
Mueller has seven goals in six appearances now against the Catalans while Lewandowski has scored in 18 consecutive matches.
Nagelsmann's strong start in charge continues with a sixth consecutive victory, but Bayern will face tougher Champions League opposition than this, perhaps even in Group E, where Benfica and Dynamo Kiev began with a draw.
In true underdog fashion, Barca flew into Bayern early on, eager to impress themselves physically on an opponent they perhaps knew would be technically superior.
The crowd were in on it too, cheering as Luuk de Jong outmuscled Alphonso Davies and Roberto held off Dayot Upamecano.
There was then a hint of a chance when Memphis Depay slid De Jong but he lacked the speed to capitalise and Benjamin Pavard cleared.
The early enthusiasm could only sustain Barcelona so long and as the game settled, gradually Bayern took control.
Leroy Sane volleyed at Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Gerard Pique had to make a last-ditch challenge to stop Mueller.
But Bayern's authority was set, even if their opening goal owed a lot to fortune, Mueller unleashing from 30 mteres and the ball diverting off the back of Eric Garcia, wrong-footing Ter Stegen and creeping inside the post.
Barca wilted before half-time, the atmosphere turning sour as passes went astray and attacks broke down.
A renewed push after half-time saw Sergio Busquets drive wide but Bayern came again.
Sane hit the right foot of Ter Stegen from eight metres and then Lewandowski made it two, studding the ball into an open goal after the Barca keeper committed to Jamal Musiala's shot that cannoned off the post.
Under threat of another thrashing, Koeman took off Roberto and Busquets, to a chorus of whistles from the home fans. The 18-year-old Yusuf Demir and a 17-year-old Gavi came on.
Yet Bayern spared Barca a humiliation, waltzing through for one more late on as Lewandowski danced through a sprawl of bodies and fired with five minutes left.
For Barca, three felt like a relief.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Borussia Dortmund 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')
Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
