Munich (Germany) (AFP)

With a sumptuous double from Kingsley Coman, Bayern Munich got off to a perfect start on Wednesday in the defense of their Champions League title by overpowering the rough Atletico Madrid team 4-0, behind closed doors at the Allianz Arena.

This large victory allows the German champion to calmly take the lead of Group A, well within his reach, where RB Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow drew 2-2 for their entry into contention.

The man of the match was Kingsley Coman, the hero of the Lisbon final against Paris SG, who spoke about his extraordinary technique.

The ex-Parisian opened the scoring superbly: impeccable ball catch in a very small space ten meters from the goal, receiving a long aerial pass from Kimmich, and shot placed (1-0, 28th).

He then offered the second goal to Goretzka (2-0, 41st), after slipping between three defenders in the box.

He finally concluded with a personal achievement in the 72nd minute, a spectacular slalom in the Madrid defense, to once again deceive goalkeeper Jan Oblak (4-0).

Equally magnificent was Bayern's third goal.

Corentin Tolisso, one of the four French international holders (with Coman, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez), catapulted a 25-meter missile into the skylight of Jan Oblak, helpless (3-0, 66th).

Currently second in the Bundesliga with one point behind leaders Leipzig, Bayern had to show that they have recovered from their fatigue at the start of the season.

- Kimmich, dad, warrior and leader -

The Champions League "Final 8" in August largely cut short the usual summer preparation, and the team also had to play two super cups in September, from Germany and Europe (both won) in addition to its regular schedule.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick also had to compensate at the last moment for the absence of his wisp Serge Gnabry, diagnosed positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday evening.

From the start, the European champions came up against the regrouped defense and the aggressiveness in the duels of Diego Simeone's men, faithful to their reputation.

"It will be important to withstand the shock physically, to avoid mistakes, because rapid transitions are their strong point," the German coach had also warned.

And it was warrior-leader Joshua Kimmich, father of a little girl the day before, who led the way, scrapping a tackle ball in midfield in the 28th minute to serve Coman for the opening goal.

This 1-0 freed up spaces, and the technical quality of the Bavarian strikers did the rest.

At the end of the match, Flick even allowed himself to make five changes, as the regulations allow this season, to blow the holders.

He notably brought in three of his recruits: Douglas Costa, Bouna Sarr, the former Marseillais, and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the ex of PSG, made their first appearance for Munich in the Champions League, instead of Coman, Benjamin Pavard and Robert Lewandowski.

Fifth French international of the evening, Thomas Lemar only came into play for Atlético in the 79th minute, when the score was already acquired.

In the morning, uncertainty had hovered over the holding of the match due to Gnabry's positive test.

But the Bavarian health authorities considered that the measures applied by Bayern (for several months) to prevent contact between players off the field were sufficient for no other professional of the workforce to be considered "a contact case" and forced to enter quarantine.

A final battery of emergency tests on Wednesday revealed no other positive cases.

© 2020 AFP