Besiktas vs Bayern Munich. UEFA Champions League First Knockout Round.
Vodafone ArenaAttendance36,885.
1-8
Thursday 15 March 2018 12:23, UK
Bayern Munich beat Besiktas 3-1 (8-1 agg) at the Vodafone Arena to cruise through to the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Jupp Heynckes' side, leading 5-0 from the first leg of their last-16 clash, went ahead through Thiago (18), before Gokhan Gonul's unfortunate own goal doubled their advantage less than 40 seconds into the second half.
However, despite Vagner Love pulling one back just before the hour mark, substitute Sandro Wagner added a late third for the visitors (84), who have now lost just once in 28 games since Heynckes returned to the club.
The Bavarians almost went ahead after just 10 minutes when the returning Tolga Zengin could only push David Alaba's dipping free-kick straight to the waiting Thomas Muller.
However, the unmarked forward somehow managed to miss the gaping goal from six yards out, although that was soon forgotten as the visitors took the lead eight minutes later.
Bayern built beautifully from the back as Franck Ribery escaped down the left wing, before finding Arturo Vidal, who then released Muller down the opposite flank.
And the Germany international's inch-perfect centre was met by the unmarked Thiago, who beat Zengin with a composed finish for his second goal in this season's competition.
It was not all good news for Bayern, though, with the influential Spaniard limping off 10 minutes before the break, although that loss did not appear to affect the visitors as they went further ahead in the first minute of the second half.
Ribery and Rafinha played a neat exchange of passes down the right, before Gonul inadvertently turned the latter's cross past his own 'keeper.
The home team, though, refused to let heads drop and deservedly pulled a goal back when Love took advantage of some sloppy Bayern defending to roll the ball under Sven Ulreich, only for the Bundesliga side to have the final say.
James Rodriguez - on for the injured Thiago - and Alaba broke clear down the left wing, before the Austrian's deflected cross was tapped home from virtually on the goal line by substitute Wagner.
All of which means Bayern will head into Friday's draw for the last eight in rude health having won their last six Champions League matches in a row, while Heynckes has also become the first coach to win 11 straight games in Europe's premier club competition.
Senol Gunes: "We lost today, but we were not beaten in terms of the game play. My players fought hard but they could have been more careful.
"We do not want to boast about our unbeaten group run and do not want to dwell on this elimination. We want to keep on being on this stage next year."
Jupp Heynckes: "Managers think differently than the media. It turns out I had a record of scoring in successive home games but I only learned about it when (Robert) Lewandowski came close breaking it.
"For me, it's about playing good football, seeing my team improve and offering a good spectacle."
The brilliant Chile international controlled proceedings from central midfield all afternoon long and the 30-year-old midfielder will be integral if the Bavarians are to go on and win a sixth European Cup in Kiev next month.
Besiktas travel to Basaksehir in the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday, March 18, while Bayern are also next in action on Sunday afternoon as the champions-elect visit RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.