Arsene Wenger’s side, wounded after being dumped out of the FA Cup for the first time in 16 years to lower league opposition, couldn’t muster up the intensity or quality that the Emirates pitch has seen in past European nights, and were brushed aside by a frightfully composed performance from Bayern Munich.

The Bavarian club – 15 points ahead at the top of their respective league – dominated the opening half and ruthlessly exploited Arsenal’s all too often defensive frailties, one of them being down the Arsenal left, where the half-tracking back Lukas Podolski was protecting an unfamiliar left-back in Thomas Vermaelen. Unsurprising then that this is where Thomas Mueller delivered his cross from for Toni Kroos to make a sweeter connection than Colin Kazim-Richards’ only three days before, yet with the same devastating consequences.

Bayern lined-up as a tall imposing structure, unlike Arsenal, based on a philosophy of home-grown talent – schooled by those that have driven the club to success in the past - and quality imports. And it was one of their eight 6ft plus players in Daniel Van Buyten that flicked on a corner for Thomas Mueller to benefit from Wojciech Szczesny’s unconvincing parry.

Jupp Heynckes’ men needed only an assertion of their roles at half-time, as every man had played his part to drive the Bavarian machine to a dominating performance. I can guess it was somewhat different in the home dressing room, where Arsene Wenger – rattled or passionate in the pre-match press conference, depending on which camp you fall in - had a mountainous task ahead with a trip to Munich still to follow.

Mario Mandzukic made sure that Arsenal’s travels on March 13 was not a competitive one as he added a third away goal to Bayern’s name, this after Lukas Podolski scored past Manuel Neuer – who conceded only his ninth goal this season, his first of 2013.  

The score, like the performance, was dominant in favour of the Bundesliga leaders. They were unforgiving in attack, driven by two physically capable midfielders in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez and whilst also being equipped with pace on the wings, and the bench. Helped yes by Arsenal’s own discouraging and, at times, truly disparaging performance, but Bayern had the look of a side in total control.

Something you’d expect from Barcelona, even if it was against a resurgent AC Milan side. Playing under the banner that read ‘we are history’ in the steep banks of the San Siro, Barcelona, guided by assistant coach Jordi Roura in Tito Vilanova’s absence, failed to repeat that of Bayern’s performance the night before. Instead a defiant Milan display - right from Christian Abbiati through to a wounded Giampaolo Pazzini - worked tirelessly to reduce the Catalan club to just two shots on target.      

Massimiliano Allegri’s plan to allow Barcelona possession, but ensure that the possession was sterile, was acted out with unnerving accuracy. Like Bayern’s men, each Milan player had a role and stuck to it - yet they did not have the ball. And when they did, the energetic Stephan El Shaarawy was on hand to offer an outlet behind the marauding Dani Alves.

Barcelona failed to pack a plan B in their trip over to Italy and in the second-half found themselves conceding for the 10th consecutive game; the egotistically named ‘Prince’ fired his volley past the despairing reach of Victor Valdes just 10 minutes after the break. The Barcelona keeper was again picking the ball from that very same corner moments from the end. When Barca should have been desperately searching for an away goal, El Shaarawy looped a ball over Dani Alves in the box for Sulley Muntari to make it 2-0 to the ex-Portsmouth men – all this to the delight of Mario Balotelli and his entourage behind the goal.

Defiant Milan remained. Ancient captain Massimo Ambrosini, who himself made some key interceptions and intelligent fouls, was in the presence of a truly outstanding display by Riccardo Montolivo in the centre of midfield – Cristian Zapata and Philippe Mexes will have been certainly grateful for the force field he created in front of them. Milan had pushed Barcelona, on countless occasions, to a thin strip of grass about 10 yards from the edge of their box. Sideways the ball went – penetrating it was not. Abbiati could not have been blamed if he had complained of boredom in his post-match interview.

Two clubs have a two goal advantage for their respective second legs in around three weeks time. Bayern and Milan adapted with class and accuracy to the team in front of them, and displayed two contrasting performances that ensured the same victorious result. Put the two against each other and one would be intrigued by what would enfold.  

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