MUNICH: Mario Gomez followed up his weekend hat-trick with hit four more goals as reviving Bayern Munich dismissed fears of a Champions League exit in thrashing Basel 7-0 at the Allianz Arena to reach the quarter-finals 7-1 on aggregate.
Furious internal recriminations had ripped through the German club, which will host the European final in May, after the 1-0 first-leg defeat in Switzerland three weeks ago.
But they followed up the weekend’s 7-1 victory over Hoffenheim, in which Gomez hit three, in style thanks to the perceptive support and assists from Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Robben netted the first goal and Muller the second before Gomez took over with Dutchman Robben rounding off the scoring with nine minutes remaining. This was the biggest victory in the knockout stages since the competition was reorganised as the Champions League in the earloy 1990s.
Bayern lost the 2010 final to Internazionale and have the satisfaction of progressing further this season than the Italian club. Inter lost on the away goals rule to Marseille despite winning 2-1 in the Stadio Meazza at San Siro.
Inter, 1-0 down from the first leg, wasted early openings but pulled level on aggregate through Diego Milito in the 75th minute. In the second minute of stoppage time, however, Brandao grabbed a counter-attacking goal for the French club. They hung on to edge into the quarter-finals despite conceded a second goal in stoppage time.
Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was sent off after being shown a second yellow card for bringing down Giampaolo Pazzini who converted the penalty. Inter’s defeat adds to the pressure on coach Claudio Ranieri.
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