Bayern Munich just keep astounding everyone with every passing game. After the 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona in the first leg, the German champions were even better - if that was possible -- in the second leg at the Camp Nou overwhelming Barca 3-0 to win the Champions League semifinal tie a staggering 7-0 on aggregate.
Lionel Messi never even left the Barcelona bench, because even he could not have done anything to stop the Bayern charge as Arjen Robben, a Gerard Pique own goal and Thomas Muller added to the scoreline in the second 90 to seal Bayern a place in the Champions League final for the second straight year.
This time they will face a more familiar foe in Borussia Dortmund in an all-German showpiece clash at Wembley, and going by form, Bayern look near unbeatable - such was their ruthless machine-like performance against Barcelona, who were unbelievably made to look like a schoolboy team by the current best side in the world.
Before the start of the game, the talk was all about Lionel Messi being left on the bench. Tito Vilanova named Cesc Fabregas in the starting lineup, with the Argentine not deemed fit enough to start the game.
Maybe Vilanova, seeing how Messi struggled in the first leg while carrying an injury, just did not want the match to be centered around the superstar, as Barca looked to try and score at least four goals on the night.
It did not matter in the end really -- not even remotely -- such was Bayern's dominance and strength. Mario Mandzukic was a menace to the Barca defence from the beginning, before Robben came close on a couple of occasions.
Bastian Schweinsteiger played in the Dutch winger with a pass over the top, and it looked like real danger for Barcelona, but Gerard Pique made a last-ditch challenge to ensure Robben did not get away, before heading away a cross from the winger soon after.
It was all Bayern really, and Robben was again involved, with the former Chelsea and Real Madrid man finding Schweinsteiger, who in turn played a clever little backheel to Philipp Lahm. The right-back though just could not quite get the shot away as Barca cleared.
Pedro was the first Barcelona player to test Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer - his stinging shot from 25 yards tipped away by the German international.
Xavi Hernandez then came close, lashing his shot high, after some good work from Fabregas, who was appealing for a penalty for a barge on him by Lahm.
It was soon halftime, with Bayern hardly threatened by the home side, and it would get a lot worse for Barcelona in the second 45.
Four minutes in, Bayern put the tie to bed courtesy a stunner from Robben. The Dutchman's goal in the first leg was the pick of the bunch in the 4-0 win, and Robben again scored a wonderful goal, cutting inside from the left, after being picked out with a raking cross-field pass from David Alaba, to curl one past the helpless Victor Valdes.
Barcelona were deflated after the goal, and the Catalans were soon playing without their three superstars in the lineup, as Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta were taken off with a forlorn looking Messi remaining on the bench for the entire game.
Bayern scored their second with another splendid move in the 72nd minute. Robben found Gustavo in the middle, who patiently waited for Franck Ribery to make a run, before playing through the Frenchman on the right. Ribery then played in a perfect cross across the face of goal, which Pique could only shin into his own net, ahead of the eagerly waiting Mandzukic.
Four minutes later, the humiliation was complete courtesy another brilliant goal from the away side. Ribery was again the architect, leaving Alex Song for dead, before standing up a cross for Thomas Muller to head home from six yards.
With Schweinsteiger already replaced by Gustavo, Jupp Heynckes also took off Lahm and Javi Martinez, the two other players who were in danger of missing the final if they picked up a booking, as Bayern celebrated a ridiculously dominant semifinal victory and prepared for redemption in the final.
