Michael Olise stole the spotlight in the absence of Harry Kane as Bayern Munich delivered a devastating performance to thrash Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter.
With the England captain only fit enough for the bench following a calf injury, the Bundesliga giants proved they had more than enough firepower, effectively killing the tie within the opening 25 minutes. Olise was the architect of the destruction, playing a pivotal role in the first three goals before finishing the night with a spectacular personal haul.
The onslaught began in the 12th minute when Olise’s quick corner caught the hosts napping, allowing Josip Stanisic to finish from close range. Ten minutes later, Olise ended his own eight-game scoring drought in “trademark fashion,” curling a brilliant effort into the far corner after a surging run from Dayot Upamecano.
The Frenchman wasn’t finished, as he soon “plucked the ball out of the sky” to assist Serge Gnabry for a third, leaving the 2024 Europa League winners with a mountain to climb before the half-time whistle even blew.
The second half saw no mercy from the visitors. Nicolas Jackson, deputizing for Kane, added to the tally after a “sweeping counter-attack and backheel assist from Luis Diaz.” Olise then produced another “spectacular effort” for his second of the night in the 64th minute, followed shortly by a Jamal Musiala strike that saw Bayern hit six in the competition for the first time since late 2024.
Although Mario Pasalic managed a late consolation for the vocal Bergamo crowd in added time, the result leaves Bayern in a “commanding position” ahead of the return leg at the Allianz Arena on March 18.
This victory extends Bayern’s impressive unbeaten away run to nine games and signals a major statement of intent in their European campaign. While Atalanta struggled to contain the “excellent Olise,” Bayern’s fluid attacking display suggested that even without their talismanic striker, they remain one of the most feared sides in the competition.
