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HOLDERS BAYERN MUNICH EASE PAST LAZIO TO REACH UCL QUARTER FINAL.

Bayern Munich breezed into the Champions League quarter-finals after a comfortable win over Lazio.

The defending champions reached the last eight with a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s goal eased them to an 6-2 aggregate win to keep them on course for a seventh title.

Marco Parolo did pull a late goal back for spirited Lazio but they never looked like fighting back from their first-leg defeat.

Leading 4-1 from the first leg after a thumping win in Rome Bayern went for the kill and Leroy Sane bent an effort wide after 13 minutes.

Bayern have not lost to an Italian side at home for 10 years and the unbeaten streak was never in doubt once the visitors conceded a penalty after 31 minutes.

Vedat Muriqi hauled Leon Goretzka down from a corner and Lewandowski sent Pepe Reina the wrong way from the spot.

It was the striker’s 39th club goal of another prolific season – his 73rd in the Champions League – and gave Lazio too much to do to recover.

There was little fightback from the Italians and Reina stopped them falling further behind when he denied Lewandowski just after half-time.

Bayern pressed well with former Manchester City wideman Sane a danger on the right and Lewandowski came closer to his second after 67 minutes.

A slick move left the striker free on the edge of the box and his low drive thumped the base of the post.

Alex Nubel saved well from Joaquin Correa from a rare Lazio opening but Bayern made it 2-0 on the night when they sliced through the visitors with 17 minutes left.

David Alaba picked out Choupo-Moting and his clipped finish beat the onrushing Reina.

But Lazio grabbed a consolation with eight minutes left when Parolo headed in Andreas Pereira’s deep free-kick from close range.

Serge Gnabry should have made it 3-1, only to shoot tamely wide after being found by Sane with two minutes left.