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Well, if there was any debate to be had over who was the best club side in the world, then Bayern Munich have just categorically ended it.

Their defeat against Liverpool in the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League was supposed to be the end of an era. As recently as December, they were written out of the Bundesliga title race, and Hansi Flick – interim manager – was a joke.

Yet here they stand, yet to lose in 2020, having capped off a treble by being crowned champions of Europe.

They put 15 goals past Chelsea, Barcelona and Lyon on their way to the showpiece with Paris Saint-Germain, and the expectation was that Bayern would show up and blow the French champions aside. That assumption did the Parisians a disservice; they’re a formidable team in their own right and were never going to roll over.

But from the minute Kingsley Coman rose to convert Joshua Kimmich’s cross, the trophy was only going to one team.

Bayern showed a will to win on the big stage that dismisses any remaining doubts over their status as Europe’s best. The relatively short period in which they’ve gone from Bundesliga also-rans to the best around led to the odd suggestion that their form could be a flash in the pan that would eventually run out of steam.

Yet against PSG, they showed that they don’t have to be at their electric best to get the big one over the line.

They showed the sort of invincibility that separates the great teams from the awesome ones; whether it was Manuel Neuer throwing himself at the mercy of Kylian Mbappe or Serge Gnabry doubling back to remind Neymar who he was playing against, they found a way to outwit and outlast Thomas Tuchel’s side when it mattered most.

Flick doesn’t get enough credit for his ruthless tactical decisions but here his value was laid bare. Coman was by no means an automatic starter and questions were raised when he started ahead of Ivan Perisic, but his decisive header and bright, terrorising performance showed why he was there.

To say Robert Lewandowski has been integral to their success this season would be the understatement of the century, but even an understated performance from their 55-goal striker failed to derail their effectiveness. They had a game plan; get tight, cut off the supply to Neymar, nullify the pace of Mbappé.

And despite superstars like Lewandowski, Gnabry and Alphonso Davies having off-nights, the whole was far greater than the sum of its parts.

In eight short months, Bayern have transformed themselves from a disjointed band of misfitting miscreants into one of the most well-drilled, cohesive teams European football has seen. Having found the balance between individual brilliance and selfless endeavour, they look a frightening prospect, and are going to take some beating if Liverpool, Real or anyone else want to knock them off their perch.

For now, however, they will be basking in the glory of a first treble since 2013. Flick’s Bayern are history-makers; let’s let them enjoy that fact before we worry about them laying waste to the rest of Europe in the years ahead.

Former Juventus star Igor Tudor has agreed to join Andrea Pirlo’s backroom staff in Turin, and he has already signed the contract to be part of this exciting new era for the Serie A champions.

Tudor became coach of Hajduk Split at the start of the year, but he officially left that role on Friday, as rumours grew surrounding a potential collaboration with the new Bianconeri boss.

And Gianluca Di Marzio has confirmed that the 42-year-old has since arrived in Turin, and signed a two-year contract to become part of Pirlo’s new-look Juve coaching staff ahead of the 2020/21 campaign. The Croatian boss spent nine years as a player with the Italian giants, making more than 150 appearances during his time there.

He now has the opportunity to kickstart this revolutionary Old Lady side, spearheaded by the shock appointment of club legend Pirlo as first team coach. The 41-year-old had already been handed the task of coaching the Under-23 side at the beginning of August, but he was given an instant promotion following the sacking of Maurizio Sarri.

Pirlo is now building his own coaching staff which he believes to possess the right balance and winning mentality to succeed at the Allianz Stadium, and he has selected Tudor as a key figure in their future.

Tudor boasts previous managerial experience in Serie A, twice coaching Udinese and leading them to safety in both his spells in charge. His final appointment with Le Zebrette came in 2019, helping them to avoid relegation at the end of the season, but then receiving the sack in November after a poor start to the new campaign.

Another name linked with a role at Juve is Alessandro Nesta, who came excruciatingly close to taking Frosinone back to Serie A this season. The Canaries were defeated by Spezia in the play-off final, and Pirlo is considering a move to bring his former Italy teammate onto the Juventus bench.

Sevilla’s outstanding record in the Europa League continued on Friday as they picked up a 3-2 win over Inter to lift their sixth title, ensuring Inter’s nine-year wait for a trophy will continue.

Inter had a penalty after just two minutes as Diego Carlos tripped Romelu Lukaku, who stepped up to fire his side ahead. The sides were level after just 11 minutes as Luuk de Jong dove to head Jesús Navas’ cross into the back of the net. De Jong headed Sevilla ahead 20 minutes later, only for Diego Godín to respond with a header of his own almost immediately.

After a slow start to the second half, Carlos brought the game to life with an impressive overhead kick which found its way into the back of the net courtesy of a deflection from Lukaku, and that was enough to guide Sevilla to yet another Europa League title.

Let’s check out some player ratings.

Bono (GK) – 6/10 – Made an outstanding save to deny Lukaku midway through the second half. Probably could have done better for Inter’s second goal.

Jesús Navas (RB) – 9/10 – Put in some outstanding crosses from the right side and could have easily had five or six assists. Was a real force at the back too. Best player on the pitch.

Jules Koundé (CB) – 8/10 – Outshone his partner yet again by keeping Martínez quiet. Looked comfortable in possession and was a dominant force in the air. Made an outstanding clearance off the line.

Diego Carlos (CB) – 5/10 – That’s now three consecutive games in which Carlos has given away a penalty, and he could have easily been sent off. An impressive overhead kick contributed to Sevilla’s winner.

Sergio Reguilón (LB) – 7/10 – Looked dangerous in attack and was constantly flying forward. Showed exactly why so many top sides are keen.

Fernando (DM) – 6/10 – Struggled to contain the threat of Barella and Brozović, but helped keep Sevilla ticking forward with some reliable passing.

Joan Jordán (CM) – 7/10 – Regularly moved out right to combine with Navas, offering constant passing lanes to help torment Young.

Éver Banega (CM) – 8/10 – A typically brilliant showing in his final game for the club. Was at the heart of everything for Sevilla and was even impressive at the back.

Suso (RW) – 5/10 – Struggled to get involved in the game and had to allow Navas to take over the creative role out wide.

Luuk de Jong (ST) – 8/10 – Showcased elite movement for both his headers. Was too powerful for Inter’s centre-backs to handle.

Lucas Ocampos (LW) – 7/10 – Spent a little too much time on the floor, but when he was on his feet, he looked dangerous. Tormented D’Ambrosio with his movement.

Munir – 6/10

Franco Vázquez – 6/10

Nemanja Gudelj – N/A

Youssef En-Nesyri – N/A

Samir Handanović (GK) – 5/10 – Looked uneasy as he struggled to deal with plenty of crosses. Pulled off some great saves but will be disappointed with his performance.

Diego Godín (CB) – 6/10 – Was slow to track De Jong for the first goal but responded with a big header to drag his side level.

Alessandro Bastoni (CB) – 6/10 – A real mixed bag. Looked composed on the ball but made a few unforced errors, notably for Sevilla’s second goal.

Stefan de Vrij (CB) – 5/10 – Struggled to cope with Sevilla’s regular crosses. Looked uncomfortable under pressure.

Danilo D’Ambrosio (RM) – 4/10 Had a really rough time against Ocampos. Probably made more cynical fouls than successful passes.

Nicolò Barella (CM) – 7/10 – A real driving force in midfield. Carried the ball forward and looked dangerous throughout, but will probably be remembered more for a few overreactions to tackles.

Marcelo Brozović (CM) – 7/10 – A great free-kick for Godín’s header. Spent the game finding clever pockets of space and orchestrating things from deep.

Roberto Gagliardini (CM) – 4/10 – Again failed to justify why Antonio Conte chooses him over Christian Eriksen. Did very little in attack and was woeful in defence.

Ashley Young (LM) – 6/10 – Looked dangerous on the counter but lacked the required end product.

Romelu Lukaku (ST) – 8/10 – Showed real speed to win the early penalty and typical composure to covert. Was a proper target man with nice flicks and passing. Unlucky with the own goal.

Lautaro Martínez (ST) – 4/10 – In what could be his final game for the club, he ended up getting marked out of the match by Koundé. You’d be forgiven for forgetting he was even on the pitch before he was hauled off in search of an equaliser.

Christian Eriksen – 5/10

Alexis Sánchez – 6/10

Victor Moses – 5/10

Antonio Candreva – N/A

hummel, hummel, hummel. You crazy Danish b–tards. You’ve only gone and done it again haven’t you? Haven’t you? ANSWER ME.

Fresh from their hell raising antics with the Watford home shirt and their fresh take on the Everton jersey, the team of mad professors churning out these memorable kits have struck gold once again.

In you don’t spend your days trawling through Twitter for fresh football garments (lucky you), you may have missed the grand reveal of Bristol City’s 2020/21 goalkeeper strips. This is pretty ironic, considering how obscene they are.

For their latest release, hummel have thrown outdated ideas like law and order out of the window, instead expressing their most depraved fantasies in football kit form.

The home offering looks like one of those Windows screensavers you used to see on your Dad’s work computer. It’s garish, it’s geometric, it’s mental to be honest. We love it. Here’s another analogy for you. Don’t you think it looks a little bit like a rainbow trying to escape from a futuristic prison cell?

We’ll leave you to mull that over while we get into discussing the away kit. This one looks like a screenshot from a Skittles-inspired 8-bit video game – if you can imagine such a thing. The models, Robins stoppers Daniel Bentley and Max O’Leary, certainly seem to like their new work uniforms, as does club chairman Jon Lansdown.

“I absolutely love the kits and it’s been fantastic working with hummel to create these unique designs,” he told the City website.

“hummel’s design of the 90s has always stood out, it’s one I’ve always admired – it’s iconic. From the beginning of this kit design process it’s something I wanted to re-create and thanks to everyone involved we’ve done that.”

We like it too mate. We like it too.

There are, hear me out here, ways to beat Bayern Munich.

No, I don’t mean giving them all food poisoning. No, I don’t mean nicking their boots ahead of kick off. Genuinely, this seemingly impossible task is actually possible.

You’ll need everything to go your way and 10/10 performances across the board, but if Lyon showed us anything on Wednesday night, it’s that Die Roten can be got at.

What we saw in the previous round against Barcelona was a painfully inept game plan from the Spanish side that screamed ‘beat me’. What we saw from Lyon was quite the opposite, as despite the defeat, the French giants etched out the blueprint for how to beat Bayern – and here it is:

Hans-Dieter Flick’s side like to, in no lesser terms, dominate football matches. That doesn’t mean bully the opposition off of the ball. Plain and simply, they want possession. All of it.

So, taking a leaf out of Barça’s book, don’t play a flat four in midfield. You’re stood in no man’s land. It’s pointless. Flood your attack and wide areas with pace. Seems simple, because it is.

When you do come up against the Bavarians, the transitions when you turn the ball over are key. You have actually get it first, of course, but given that they play such an astronomically high line, exploiting those gaps either side of the centre-backs is where you can do the most damage. Effectively, Die Roten want to shrink the pitch into a single half.

Doing that is fine if the players you’re facing can’t finish. Y’know, like Lyon.

That is a dangerous ploy, however.

As we saw in the opening proceedings on Wednesday, Lyon were tearing Bayern to shreds. With fire in their bellies they utilised a medium press that caught their opponents off guard in midfield, with the forward pair anxiously waiting for the turnovers to switch on the afterburners.

Even if it meant Memphis Depay dropping into the central hole to double up on Leon Goretzka and Thiago, they exposed the areas of weakness in Flick’s side and set about exploiting them.

Alphonso Davies, for all his brilliance, practically plays as a left-winger. Bayern have such confidence in their own abilities that this doesn’t trouble them. As it shouldn’t – they boast outstanding ball retention across their starting lineup. But you can’t keep the ball forever. You just can’t. Not in a Champions League final, at least.

In the case of Lyon, Depay stared down on David Alaba in central defence, knowing he drifts far apart from his opposite centre-back. As soon as the initial press is broken, that space is there to be run into. Alaba is no slouch, but Jerome Boateng has lost a few yards of pace. After him Niklas Sule is hardly Speedy Gonzales neither.

They got away with it on this occasion…well, many occasions on Wednesday…but you can only hope for Die Roten that they’ve learnt their lesson after tonight. Kylian Mbappe, human speed jet, won’t take any prisoners. Nor will Neymar, for that matter. He can’t spurn opportunities three games in a row. Surely not.

Bayern will be ripped to pieces by Paris Saint-Germain if they persist on playing their defence so far forward. Making a (very) rough estimate, the backline needs to drop back at least five yards. Offering those gaps for two of the best players on the planet to waltz into is footballing suicide. They will concede goals, and plenty of them.

What we can hope for, with a certain degree of confidence, is that Sunday’s showpiece will be BRILLIANT.

Yes, there are no fans and that sucks, but when was the last time a Champions League final got the pulses racing quite like this one? Mbappe, Neymar, Di Maria, Lewandowski, Gnabry, Thiago, Muller.

Sunday can’t come sooner.

Paris Saint-Germain advanced into their first Champions League final after easing past an overwhelmed RB Leipzig side in Lisbon on Tuesday night.

Marquinhos opened the scoring for Les Parisiens with a superbly-taken glancing header from a heavenly Angel Di Maria set-piece, before Die Roten Bullen proved the masters of their own downfall as the French champions raced into a 2-0 lead through Di Maria himself.

PSG’s superiority was stark and their comfortable triumph was complete early in the second period through Juan Bernat.

This was a game Thomas Tuchel’s men should’ve won, but perhaps one they would’ve lost in years gone by – see the Manchester United defeat last season.

Not this PSG side, however. Whether it be their impressive turnaround against Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 or their recent mini-remontada against Atalanta, they’ve proved themselves to be cut from a different cloth compared to their predecessors, and Tuchel has to take plenty of credit.

The German’s approach against Julian Nagelsmann’s enterprising Leipzig was methodical, somewhat pragmatic but mightily effective. Sure, there were examples of neat combination play to bypass their Leipzig’s typically well-orchestrated press, but their gameplan was clear and simple: play direct and expose your opponent’s primary weakness.

And throughout, PSG were able to get at a vulnerable, if not brilliantly coached, Leipzig defence which often surrenders too much space in-behind and has trouble slowing down sides in transition. In Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, Tuchel possessed two superstars capable of killing the East Germans on their own, but the deployment of his two haymakers was smart and efficient.

As Mbappe was typically utilised out on the left, tasked with penetrating in-behind through his overwhelming speed and supreme off-the-ball movement, Neymar found himself in a false nine role which brought about greater structure to PSG’s attacks compared to their collective struggles against Atalanta.

There was greater harmony between Les Parisiens’ front three – with Angel Di Maria’s return proving a huge bonus in all phases – and Neymar once again starred. His movement between the lines created a dilemma for Leipzig’s centre-back pairing and caused Kevin Kampl problems throughout. So often was he able to outfox the Slovenian metronome before embarking on supreme samba silk, with space created by the Brazilian’s unselfish movement smartly exploited by PSG’s wingers.

His mature and glorious display was epitomised by the most subtle but elegant of flicks to assist Di Maria for PSG’s second, as Tuchel’s impressive defensive set-up – combined with the industry and intelligence of PSG’s front six – ensured Leipzig were pretty pitiful building-up possession, with their woes summarised in that sequence.

Again, Tuchel has to be credited for formulating a plan. It was clear Kampl’s body positioning when he received was a trigger to press and PSG were often able to overwhelm Leipzig’s metronome as the Slovenian received possession with his back to goal. The timing of the press meant Kampl wasn’t able to use his supreme press-resistance to wriggle away from his opponents.

An impressive Ander Herrera, meanwhile, was crucial to a superb performance off the ball from the French champions.

Overall, Nagelsmann’s mentor took full advantage of his apprentice’s disappointingly conservative approach in the opening period. The Leipzig string-puller’s commitment to a fluid system depending on the phase of the game remained – a 4-5-1 out of possession, 3-1-5-1 in possession – but there was a certain tepidness to Die Roten Bullen’s play which we hadn’t seen all season. Scared to progress upfield almost, knowing of the threats which awaited them going the other way.

A switch to a 4-2-2-2 along with the introductions of Patrik Schick and Emil Forsberg saw the Germans improve briefly after the restart, but this was PSG’s night and Bernat’s header secured victory before the hour mark.

They were dominant from the outset and controlled proceedings throughout. Presnel Kimpembe and Thiago Silva continued their superb form over the past month as they shutout Yussuf Poulsen with consummate ease, while both displayed a distinct comfort with the ball at their feet.

The often-overlooked Leandro Paredes, meanwhile, churned out possibly his finest showing in a PSG shirt since his arrival from Zenit. The Argentine was typically the man to spot Neymar’s movement behind Leipzig’s midfield line and pick him out with precise line-breaking passes. He was efficient circulating possession and uncharacteristically astute off of it – cutting out passing lanes and tracking runners doggedly. Paredes’ display will certainly give Tuchel a selection headache for the final following Marco Verratti’s return from an ankle injury.

The diminutive Italian just has to start, right?

Nevertheless, it’s a good problem for Tuchel to have as the former Dortmund boss goes about formulating a gameplan to defeat what will likely be Hansi Flick’s relentless Bayern in Sunday’s final.

Die Roten will likely be favourites, but PSG have proved capable of winning in Europe with contrasting ideals on display in Lisbon.

Their late show against Atalanta saw overwhelming individualism come to the fore but the dismantling of Nagelsmann’s Leizpig was made possible through a clear emphasis on the collective. This PSG side have discovered a new-found identity under their superb German boss, with their evolution epitomised by Neymar’s maturity to spearhead Les Parisiens’ rise to their first-ever Champions League final.

Their Brazilian superstar is just 90 minutes away from completing a legacy-defining campaign.

Real Sociedad have announced the signing of former Manchester City playmaker David Silva, after the Spaniard called time on his glittering 10-year stint at the Etihad.

Silva won every domestic trophy going during his decade in England and was an integral part of the City side that transformed into a Premier League powerhouse, scoring 77 goals in over 400 appearances.

Real Sociedad took to their official club website to confirm the surprise signing of the 34-year-old on a free transfer, who will join on a two-year deal and is expected to be a direct replacement for Martin Odegaard, who has returned to parent club Real Madrid.

It will be the first time that Silva – who is to be honoured with a statue outside the Etihad Stadium – has played in his native Spain since leaving Valencia for Manchester City back in 2010.

Prior to the shock confirmation of his transfer to Real Sociedad, Silva had been tipped to complete a move to Serie A side Lazio following City’s exit from the Champions League at the hands of Lyon. However, reports emerged at the weekend that a communication breakdown between Silva and the Roman club had left the move on the brink of collapse.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that La Real’s secret eleventh move for Silva has left Lazio ‘furious’.

He will wear the number 21 shirt in San Sebastian.

Well, that was awkward.

48 hours ago, Manchester was going to dominate Europe. City were winning the Champions League, United were favourites for the Europa League, and English football was on top of the world.

Now? Oh well.

Within 24 hours of their rivals spaffing it against Lyon, it was United’s turn to choke on the big stage. Sevilla – who have already won the competition a record five times – will contest a sixth final, against either Inter or Shakhtar.

The Spanish side’s latest fairytale started as most fairytales do – with a big fat slice of adversity. The football world was stunned when Manchester United – who have won more penalties than any other team in Europe this season – won a penalty.

The football world was then sent into a state of crippling shock when Bruno Fernandes, who had a perfect record from his seven earlier penalties this season, scored that penalty.

Sevilla weren’t hanging about, however. They’ve won the Europa League more than any other team and were not going out without a fight.

Former Liverpool winger Suso starting up against inexperienced left-back Brandon Williams? What could go wrong?

The second half saw United kick things up a gear but there was one thing standing in their way – Sevilla keeper Yassine Bounou. The Morocco international was in no mood to let either Mason Greenwood or Anthony Martial add their names to the scoresheet.

…oh right, like the U2 song. Ha.

Anyway, Bono- Bounou’s resistance would eventually yield fruit. Substitute Luuk de Jong found himself on the end of Jesus Navas’ tempting cross, and, well, it would have been rude not to finish.

Pour one out for poor Marv here. We’ve all been there, mate…

It’s a tough one for United to take, but they’ll be back to do it all again…in about two weeks’ time.

As for Sevilla, well, it’s Inter or Shakhtar next Friday. They’re the Europa League’s cockroaches, and you wouldn’t dare bet against them.

Disaster. A nightmare. The unthinkable has happened. The underdogs have won – and good on them. But the bigger news is, the heavyweights have crumbled under the pressure of the big occasion once again.

Manchester City, the overwhelming favourites for this Champions League quarter-final, have lost. Facing off against Lyon, a side who finished seventh in Ligue 1 this year, the Citizens crumbled, collapsed, caved. Humiliated.

A 3-1 loss leaves Pep Guardiola and the Sky Blues still chasing that elusive European trophy, and for many, the Spaniard’s pedigree on the huge nights under the lights will be thrown further into doubt.

Where to start with this one?

If anything, this game encapsulated Man City’s Champions League history in 90 minutes. Expectations high, hopes higher, but ultimately a combination of poor tactics, shocking individual errors and strange decisions end their dreams.

Questions must be asked of Guardiola and his decision-making when it comes to his arguments with Champions League. Man City set up with a five-man defence, with Fernandinho sitting in a back three alongside Eric Garcia and Aymeric Laporte. The Brazilian’s presence at the back allowed Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo to defend higher up the pitch, while he then pushed into the midfield when they went on the attack.

That tactical switch meant that Ilkay Gundogan and Rodrigo were deployed to anchor the midfield, as Guardiola opted for a surprisingly defensive centre to his side. Predictably, no invention or creativity came from that particular hub.

Lyon coach Rudi Garcia set up his soldiers with two in attack, although Memphis Depay’s job was far more instrumental than simply creating chances. The Dutch star, a former flop of City’s rivals United, was tasked with man-marking the metronome Rodri when the Citizens were in possession, preventing them from hitting their stride or finding a rhythm.

Blocking that first entrance into midfield significantly hampered Man City, who instead looked to forcing Raheem Sterling into chase balls down the flank and ending up extremely isolated.

The first half an hour passed, and the favourites didn’t have a sniff at goal – not even a shot out of anger. Guardiola was becoming increasingly edgy on the touchline, and his players were performing in a similar vein. Walker was visibly tense and began a running battle with Karl Toko Ekambi, while Fernandinho brought down the irrepressible Hessoum Aouar to earn himself a yellow card.

The game’s opening goal was classic Champions League Manchester City stuff. A simple ball over the top caught the backline cold, Walker played Ekambi onside, Laporte failed to chase his marker, Fernandinho was nowhere to be seen, and Ederson wandered terribly out of position. Garcia did well to make a brief recovery, but it wasn’t enough, and Maxwell Cornet slotted home.

Time to panic.

And panic they did – for a bit. Then, as will often happen when you possess some of the greatest players on the planet, the Sky Blues remembered how to play football. Kevin de Bruyne started to find his feet and pull the strings, and he almost provided the equaliser with a devastating and cutting through ball, but Sterling couldn’t quite apply the finish.

But that was that for the first half, and we may have expected a change at half-time. Instead, Guardiola stuck to his guns – for the next ten minutes, at least. Finally, a substitution arrived on 55 minutes, and Man City began to regain control of the game. The equaliser soon arrived from De Bruyne on 70 minutes. It was well worked, typical of Guardiola’s side, and they were back in the ascendency. All was forgiven.

Even the worst-laid yet salvaged plans can mean absolutely nothing in the face of individual carelessness, however. Guardiola’s men were caught napping by the high press, surrendered possession, and then allowed Lyon to swan in behind the defence and swing that pendulum yet again. As with the first goal, Ederson will be disappointed to have been beaten in that manner.

No doubt the Citizens will be furious with the refereeing on that action, as Laporte appeared to be clipped, his slip allowing Lyon to coast in behind. Costly.

if the Spanish boss was caught off guard by the style in which they conceded the second goal, then the third will be keeping him awake for years to come. Robbed of the ball once again, Lyon strolled towards the Man City box, and when a simple shot was fumbled by the Brazilian shot-stopper, Moussa Dembele had the simplest task to double his tally.

In between those two goals, Sterling had also missed the easiest tap-in of his career, as if to present in one image the difference between the Sky Blues in the league, and their woes in Europe. It was atrocious.

Heartbreak. Anger. Confusion. How can this group of players consistently drop the ball when it matters most? A side that won two league titles back to back, posted insane points tallies over both campaigns, cannot beat a team that finished seventh in Ligue 1. Say it again: seventh.

The inquest will begin. Fingers will be pointed and scapegoats will be hunted. But no matter what happens, Man City are out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals, and the pressure only grows on Guardiola to deliver this cursed trophy. Time is running out.

You don’t need to pinch yourself. Seriously, that did actually just happen.

Barcelona fell to their heaviest European defeat of all time on Friday evening as Bayern Munich stormed to a terrifyingly dominant 8-2 victory, in a game which felt eerily similar to an adult taking a back garden kickabout at a five-year-old’s birthday party far too seriously.

8-2. Let’s repeat that: 8-2.

The crazy thing about this game is that it actually started fairly evenly. Barcelona could have netted five in the first ten minutes.

They forced David Alaba into an own goal, hit the post and had a Luis Súarez shot well saved by Manuel Neuer, and it looked like we could be in for a 10-10 kind of game.

Bayern decided to hold up their side of the bargain, tearing Barça’s defence open with terrorising ease.

Thomas Müller, Ivan Perišić and Serge Gnabry were all on the score sheet in the first half, with Müller finding the back of the net twice to ensure that this tie was over at half time. Even at 4-1, this looked embarrassing for Barcelona.

If only we knew what was coming.

The worst was yet to come for Barça. Joshua Kimmich fired home after a run from Alphonso Davies which may very well force Nélson Semedo into an early retirement, before Robert Lewandowski beat the offside trap to head home.

And the worst was still yet to come.

Off the bench came Philippe Coutinho – the same Coutinho who joined Barça for £142m, was deemed to be a flop and shipped out on loan to Bayern – and he scored. Twice. You can’t make this stuff up.

There’s a lot of things which won’t be forgotten quickly from this game. We’ll be talking about it for a long, long time.

However, the best thing to come out of the whole thing?

This tweet.

Literally three minutes before the beating began. Comedic timing at its finest.