The Ukraine giants were thrashed 7-0 by Bayern Munich after being reduced to 10 men in record time at the Allianz Arena
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu said the early dismissal of Olexandr Kucher cost his side any chance of winning their Champions League tie with Bayern Munich.
The Ukrainian club were rank outsiders to win the second leg of the last-16 encounter at the Allianz Arena and their odds further drifted when Kucher fouled Mario Gotze in the penalty area to earn the fastest red card in the competition’s history.
After the first leg in ended scoreless, a score draw or a win in Munich for the visitors would have seen them advance to the last eight – but the early penalty, converted by Thomas Muller, was a setback.
It was the beginning of a 7-0 onslaught which saw Shakhtar exit the competition, as Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber, Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze all joined Muller on the scoresheet.
Lucescu said Kucher’s red card was a significant setback, before they finished with nine men due to a late injury to Darijo Srna after all three substitutions had been made.
“Congratulations to Bayern. We weren’t able to carry out our game plan after the early red card,” Lucescu said, as reported by UEFA.com.
“We lost in all aspects of the match. They were mentally stronger too. When Srna went off, the game was finally over for us.
“We played with just 10 men. We lost this game, there is not so much to say about it. But I feel sad that we lost with such a result.”