Lionel Messi and his team-mates were swept aside by the dominant Bundesliga champions in a chaotic first half, with Philippe Coutinho then coming on to deal further blows to his parent club in the closing stages.
Thomas Muller’s sublime strike got things started and, although David Alaba’s own goal drew Barca level, Ivan Perisic and Serge Gnabry had Bayern 3-1 up by the 27th minute.
Muller’s second piled further misery on Barca – who conceded four goals in the first half of a Champions League match for the first time – and while Luis Suarez responded after the break, Bayern had more to give.
Joshua Kimmich restored a three-goal cushion with a goal set up by the brilliance of Alphonso Davies, before Coutinho set up Robert Lewandowski and helped himself to a double within the space of seven minutes to compound the misery of the club that owns him.
The dramatic late win marks the first time the Bundesliga club has reached the last four of the competition and sets up a clash with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday for a spot in the final.
Tyler Adams RB Leipzig’s knight in shining armor
With two minutes of normal time remaining, Adams snatched victory with a deflected shot from outside the box to set up the semifinal clash with the Parisians.
“It’s all a bit surreal,” Adams said after the match. “And now obviously facing such a world class team like PSG, we’re excited to show what we’re capable of. We’re confident in our abilities, but we need to go out there and continue to show what we are capable of.
“I think with such a young team we’re not really fazed in these moments, we just go out there and execute the game plan. What we were able to do tonight with different players in different positions on the field, it was really special.”
The German side had taken the lead in the 51st minute with a header from Spanish forward Dani Olmo but a disjointed Atletico were shaken into life when record signing Joao Felix came off the bench, earning and scoring a penalty to level in the 71st.
Atletico, runners-up in 2014 and 2016, looked more likely to score the next goal but it was the club founded only eleven years ago who were left celebrating in front of the empty seats of the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Now the team, built up from the lower leagues and owned by energy drinks company Red Bull, will come up against Neymar and company with a chance at a place in the Aug. 23 final.
As with all games in this ‘final eight’ mini-tournament, there were no fans to witness the drama but it was clear from the outset that Leipzig felt at home among European football’s elite.
They fired an early warning shot when Marcel Halstenberg was picked out at the back post but his difficult volley flew off target.
RB Leipzig celebrated a famous win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
It was bad enough when they were given a chasing to lose the first leg by three goals at Stamford Bridge back in February – but this was worse.
Had Bayern taken their chances, and not taken their foot off the pedal after the break, the aggregate score could have hit double figures.
If Frank Lampard needed any convincing some of his players are not good enough for where he wants to take the club, he doesn’t now.
There was a gulf in class between those in red and those in blue. Chelsea frantic and untidy, Bayern in complete control and in sync throughout the side.
This was a side who had not played in over a month since their season ended, supposedly lacking the match sharpness the Londoners have from playing right up until the Cup Final last week.
Chelsea should have been racing out of the traps, snapping into tackles, exposing the ring rustiness of the Bundesliga champions and sewing some seeds of doubt into their hosts.
Instead they were timid, nervy and inferior right from the start.
Bayern had already twice threatened to expose Chelsea’s weak centre in defence with runs behind before Robert Lewandowski sprung the line after seven minutes to be sent tumbling by keeper Willy Caballero.
Initially referee Ovidiu Hategan spared the Blues from conceding a penalty thanks to an offside flag – but VAR showed Lewandowski was just onside and the spot-kick was given.
Caballero might have a reputation for stopping penalties, but the Argentine was helpless to prevent the brilliant Bayern striker finding the corner for his 46th goal of an amazing season.
It got worse for Chelsea on 24 minutes when they gifted Bayern a second.
Lampard’s side contrived to concede a goal direct from their own throw-in near half-way as Mateo Kovacic was robbed of possession by Thomas Muller, allowing Lewandowski to feed Ivan Perisic to slot home.
The tie was gone, and the goal summed Chelsea up, with not one teammate shouting to warn Kovacic he had a man on.
Thanks to the lack of fans you could hear first hand the difference between the two sides.
Bayern’s voices echoed round the ground, driving each other to be first to the ball, hurry Chelsea at every opportunity and direct the pattern of player.
In comparison the Blues played in virtual silence, timid and out of their league.
Robbed of players like Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta through injury, of course this was far from a full strength Chelsea, but Lampard will have learned a lot.
He will have seen how Reece James showed he belongs at this level, engaging in an absorbing tussle at times against the blistering threat of Alphonso Davies, and how Mason Mount again refused to hide and tried to bring composure to some play.
Callum Hudson-Odoi also showed buts in flashes, not least with an excellent 25-yard effort curled into the far corner which looked to have pulled a goal back, only to be denied by a tight offside call against Tammy Abraham.
That goal did come just before the break when Abraham touched into an empty net, but the England striker looked out of his depth for most of the game, his poor touch and lack of composure on the ball exposed.
The signing of Timo Werner, and Olivier Giroud finishing the season as first choice, is surely a sign Lampard is losing trust in one of the bright academy products going forward.
He is not alone, as Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma and Ross Barkley were once again all found wanting. Good players, all.
But not if you want to be challenging for domestic and European titles.
Bayern eased off in the second half, passage through to the finals tournament in Lisbon next week assured – but even so they should still have extended their lead.
Muller and Gnabry missed the target when well placeD as again Chelsea’s defence was opened up with ease, and sub Philippe Coutinho curled a dipping effort just over the bar.
Their third of the night finally came on 75 minutes when Corentin Tolisso was left free in the area to turn past Cabellero. It was all too easy.
Lewandowski jumping unchallenged to head home the fourth six minutes from time just rubbed salt into the wounds.
BARCELONA 3-1 NAPOLI
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Napoli
Lionel Messi rolled back the years to score an incredible solo goal as Barcelona beat Napoli in the Champions League.
The Barcelona maestro somehow kept the ball – and his balance – to keep FIVE defenders at bay before bending a brilliant strike into the far corner.
The goal put Barcelona in the driving seat in their European clash against the Serie A side.
After a 1-1 first-leg draw, Clement Lenglet opened the scoring after just ten minutes to put Barca in the lead.
Messi’s goal then had Quique Setien’s men cruising before a penalty in first-half injury time from Luis Suarez appeared to settle the tie.
However, Napoli were given a small glint of hope in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, Lorenzo Insigne scoring a penalty of his own.
But the Catalan giants held on to secure a 3-1 win at the Nou Camp.
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