Bayern take command against Juventus

FC Bayern München are in pole position to reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the third time in four seasons after ending Juventus's 18-match unbeaten run in Europe.

David Alaba struck after just 25.02 seconds – the seventh-fastest goal in UEFA Champions League history – to put the Bundesliga leaders in front but it was their Serie A counterparts who went on to enjoy the better of the early exchanges until Bayern eventually wrested control. The Bavarian club rarely looked like relinquishing their advantage subsequently and, after Thomas Müller tapped in his fifth goal of this term's competition three minutes past the hour, they will head to Turin for next week's quarter-final return leg full of confidence.

Bayern could hardly have wished for a better start as Alaba opened the scoring with the game's first attack, firing beyond Gianluigi Buffon from distance via a deflection off Arturo Vidal. It was the first UEFA Champions League goal Juve had conceded in 490 minutes yet the visitors remained composed and their five-man midfield initially did well to stretch the hosts. Andrea Pirlo shaved the crossbar with a dipping free-kick, with Vidal driving another effort narrowly wide.

However, an injury to Bayern's Toni Kroos meant an early introduction for Arjen Robben, brimming with belief after scoring twice in Saturday's 9-2 thrashing of Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga, and the substitute soon helped Bayern onto the front foot. He was unfortunate to see his first strike on target repelled by Buffon after a poor clearance from Andrea Barzagli, but then might have done better from Müller's pull-back, side-footing wide at the near post.

Indeed, with Franck Ribéry and Bastian Schweinsteiger also threatening, Jupp Heynckes' side might well have wondered how they were not further ahead at the interval, even after Leonardo Bonucci glanced just over from a corner on the stroke of half-time. Bayern again set the tempo after the restart, though the slenderness of their lead made for a less than comfortable atmosphere among the home fans.

That all changed on 63 minutes as Müller doubled Bayern's advantage, touching in Mario Mandžukić's unselfish square pass after the Croatian was first to pounce on a parried Luiz Gustavo shot. Vidal called Manuel Neuer into a pair of saves as Juventus sought a quick response, but their prowess faded in the latter stages and they were ultimately fortunate that Müller failed to further increase Bayern's aggregate cushion at the last. Having suffered their first European defeat in more than three years, Antonio Conte's team have it all to do in the return next Wednesday.