Champions League: Lewandowski bags fastest-ever UCL hat-trick

Robert Lewandowski celebrates for Bayern Munich v Red Bull Salzburg

Polish striker nets three times in opening 23 minutes as Bayern Munich produce 'statement win' over Red Bull Salzburg to reach Champions League last eight.

Robert Lewandowski scored the Champions League's fastest-ever hat-trick as Bayern Munich blew Red Bull Salzburg away with a 7-1 victory.

The Polish striker netted three times in the opening 23 minutes to post his new record, bettering Marco Simone's treble inside 24 minutes for AC Milan against Rosenborg in 1996.

Pole passes 40-goal mark - again

The goals also took Lewandowski past the 40-goal mark in all competitions for the seventh successive season and helped Bayern to an 8-2 aggregate victory, one which puts them into the quarter-finals.

Seven. Seasons. In. A. Row.

40+ goals guaranteed ✅

There's consistent, and then there's Robert Lewandowski.#UCL pic.twitter.com/wLiEF0ZYKS
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 8, 2022

Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer felt his side had laid down a marker for their title rivals to follow.

"That was a statement win," he said.

"I think we started well and had the penalties and from there it just took off. We're very happy with the performance today. I think we showed a different side of ourselves today and didn't concede as many chances on the break."

The Austrian champions had battled well to earn a 1-1 draw in the first leg three weeks ago but they were torn apart by Bayern from the off at the Allianz Arena.

Lewandowski's first two goals were both penalties while the third was a tad fortunate with keeper Philipp Kohn coming out but only managing to smash the ball against the feared forward. It looped onto the post before the Pole tapped in the rebound.

It was the first time in tournament history a hat-trick had been scored within 23 minutes of kick-off.

No let-up

At that stage, Bayern had effectively already booked their passage into the last eight but they didn't let up.

⚽️ 12' penalty
⚽️ 21' penalty
⚽️ 23' goal

After having zero attempts on goal in the first-leg, Robert Lewandowski has a hat-trick against Salzburg in under 23 minutes ?

Probably the easiest one he'll score...#UCL pic.twitter.com/ftF03xzOmF
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 8, 2022

Serge Gnabry added a fourth on 31 minutes as things threatened to get embarrassing for the visitors.

A double change at the break did little to stem the flow and Thomas Muller added a fifth, nine minutes into the second half, turning to fire the ball past Kohn from just inside the penalty area.

Salzburg grabbed a consolation with 20 minutes remaining thanks to cracking near-post strike by Maurits Kjaergaard but there was still more to come from their hosts.

Muller and Leroy Sane both netted in the final 10 minutes to make the final score 7-1 on the night.

Lewandowski is now the tournament's leading goalscorer with 12 goals in just eight games. He replaces Ajax's Sebastian Haller at the top of the charts.