In front in the 12th minute in Bergamo through Josip Stanisic, Bayern are all-but through following a stunning brace from standout player Michael Olise and further strikes from Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson and Jamal Musiala.
Bayern have lost just once at home this season and Tuesday’s marauding display, which came with Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala both starting on the bench, left Atalanta with basically no chance of progressing.
A blockbuster tie against one of Real Madrid or Manchester City awaits Bayern in the next round, save for a historic collapse in next week’s second leg in Munich.
“That was the kind of performance we wanted. We were dangerous right throughout the match,” said Kompany.
“We’ve got talent and quality in the team. So it’s no surprise when the lads deliver like this.”
For Atalanta it will be a comeback too far after the thrilling way they got past Borussia Dortmund and into the last 16, and their elimination would end Italy’s participation in the Champions League for this season.
Being knocked out by European royalty is not disgrace for the traditionally tiny club punching way above its weight over at home and abroad the last decade.
But it was a chastening night for both Raffaele Palladino’s players, who were applauded off by their vociferous support both at half-time and the final whistle, and Italian football.
“You can’t say anything other than compliment Bayern. Unfortunately it didn’t go as we’d hoped and we have to accept the defeat,” said Mario Pasalic, who scored the hosts’ consolation goal in stoppage time.
“We just have to try to play the second leg with a bit of pride.”
Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal’s penalty with the last kick of the game rescued Barcelona from defeat at Newcastle in a 1-1 Champions League last 16 first leg draw.
The Magpies were headed for a night to savour at St. James’ Park when Harvey Barnes opened the scoring on 86 minutes.
The Liga champions still have work to do when the sides meet again on March 18, but will leave Tyneside relieved after a sub-par performance from Hansi Flick’s side.
In Spain, Atletico Madrid took advantage of error-strewn Tottenham in the Champions League to rack up a 5-2 last 16 first leg victory.
The Premier League side fell 4-0 down inside 22 minutes with three glaring mistakes, including two by goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, leading to the hosts’ first three goals at the Metropolitano stadium.
Julian Alvarez netted twice for Diego Simeone’s side, with Marcos Llorente, Antoine Griezmann and Robin Le Normand also on target in the Spanish capital.
Pedro Porro pulled one back for the visitors and Dominic Solanke added another as they fell to a sixth straight defeat across all competitions but salvaged a shred of hope for the second leg.
“Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes. So we paid for this start of the game, it was too much for us,” said interim Spurs coach Igor Tudor.
Tudor had said he was approaching the game as a chance to try and come up with solutions to the team’s many problems, with the club’s main focus on avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
The Croatian selected 22-year-old Czech goalkeeper Kinsky over Guglielmo Vicario, for his first appearance since last October, with the north London side having conceded two goals in each of the nine prior Premier League matches.
The decision could not have backfired quicker, with Kinsky slipping as he tried to pass the ball out from the back, giving it straight to Ademola Lookman.
The Nigeria winger found Alvarez who squared for Llorente to stroke home after just six minutes – four minutes longer than it took them to concede against Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final at the same stadium.
In what fast became a comedy of errors for those watching on, including former Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs then conceded two goals in two minutes to fall three behind.
Micky van de Ven fell over, allowing Griezmann to run through on goal and net Atletico’s second, before Kinsky committed another grievous mistake.
The goalkeeper, making his debut in the competition, miskicked a pass and the ball fell for Alvarez to run it into an empty net.
Tudor took action, replacing Kinsky with Vicario after 17 minutes, with Atletico’s fans jubilantly applauding off the devastated goalkeeper.
“The team is with him, me too, he understands the moment and why he went out,” Tudor told reporters.
“I’ve been coaching for 15 years, I’ve never done this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team.”
Vicario made a brilliant save to keep Pape Sarr’s header out of his own goal but Le Normand was on home to nod home the rebound for Atletico’s fourth inside 22 minutes.
Four minutes later Pedro Porro hit back after combining with Richarlison to stem the tide.
Vicario denied Lookman, Llorente fired wide and Cristian Romero nodded against the post at the other end as a wild first half came to a close without further goals. (AFP)
