Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller, right, celebrates scoring against Manchester City with teammates during the Champions League group D soccer match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. (Photo: AP)
Bayern Munich thumped hosts Manchester City 3-1 in their Champions League Group D encounter on Wednesday as the holders taught the English side they still have a lot to learn if they are to achieve continental success.
Pep Guardiola's side got off to the perfect start with Franck Ribery's seventh-minute opener from a straightforward long-range shot that City keeper Joe Hart inexplicably failed to keep out and the German champions never looked back.
Thomas Mueller rounded Hart to double their lead 11 minutes into the second half, while Arjen Robben beat the floundering England keeper at his near post for the third on the hour.
City substitute Alvaro Negredo pulled one back for the hosts in the 80th minute and Bayern's Jerome Boateng was shown a red card four minutes from time, with David Silva hitting the bar from the resulting free kick but it was too little too late as Bayern took charge of Group D with a maximum six points from two games.
City had hoped to replicate the exciting performance they turned in to thrash Premier League champions Manchester United last month but instead it was Bayern who controlled possession, strung together the intricate passes and threatened the most.
Ribery's early goal set the tone after Rafinha picked out the Frenchman on the left and he was given space to shoot from 25 metres out with a low effort that Hart, diving to his right, should have kept out.
The England keeper was left berating himself and slapping himself in the face as the home fans were silenced, mustering the occasional sarcastic clap when the ruffled Hart did manage to hold a shot.
Bayern wasted a golden opportunity to stretch their lead after half an hour when an unmarked Thomas Mueller did not quite get to a Robben pass across the goal that would have made for an easy tap-in.
Frustration mounted for City with Jesus Navas one of the worst offenders in losing possession and their only real positive going into the break was that they had conceded just once.
That soon changed when Dante sent a tentative long ball forward and Mueller lost City defender Gael Clichy all too easily and rounded Hart to net in the 56th minute.
City, who invested heavily in attacking players in the close season, had their defensive frailties once again exposed four minutes later when Fernandinho was dispossessed near the halfway line by Mueller, allowing Bayern to break quickly.
Mueller found Robben whose jinking run made a mockery of the City defence and the Dutchman's strike at the near post again found Hart lacking.
City managed an 80th-minute consolation goal through Negredo but while the left-footed strike itself was classy, the hosts' overall performance was anything but.
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