Alaba and Mueller on target as Bayern beat Juventus

Bayern Munich’s bid to reach a third Champions League final in four years remains on track after they earned a deserved victory over Juventus in the first leg of their quarter-final clash yesterday evening.

A goal inside the first minute from David Alaba set Bayern on their way and Thomas Muller added a second just after the hour mark as the German giants built a healthy advantage to take to Italy for their return leg.

There were less than 30 seconds on the clock when Alaba picked up the ball 30 yards from goal before unleashing a left-footed effort which, after clipping the end of Arturo Vidal's boot, swerved past the hopelessly wrong-footed Gianluigi Buffon and into the bottom corner.

Bayern were employing a shoot-on-sight policy and another effort from outside the box led to their second goal in the 63rd minute.
Buffon kept out Luiz Gustavo's shot but the rebound was picked up by Mandzukic and he laid the ball back into the centre for Muller to tap into an empty net.

Buffon then produced a superb one-handed save to deny Muller in the 90th minute and, with the Germany international firing the rebound over with the goal at his mercy, that could yet prove decisive in the second leg.

In the other match, Barcelona scored two away goals but were twice pegged back in a dramatic Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Parc des Princes.
Lionel Messi gave Barca a half-time lead, a goal owing much to Dani Alves' vision, before departing with a hamstring injury at the interval.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic controversially equalised against his former club and though Xavi's late penalty looked to have ensured a first-leg lead for Barca, Blaise Matuidi made it 2-2 with a deflected last kick of the match.