"Unearthly" Bayern Munich are the best team in Europe according to the German press after the 7-1 humiliation of Roma on Tuesday, which drew comparisons to Germany's 7-1 World Cup semifinal victory against Brazil.
Some 35 minutes into the Champions League match at the Stadio Olimpico, Bayern Munich were 5-0 ahead -- trailing Germany's historic feat at the World Cup by only five minutes -- and Bayern had copied the national side's semifinal result by full-time.
"Bayern are the best team in Europe," Die Welt headlined. The comment piece highlighted the fact that Bayern are still without players such as Javi Martinez, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara and Holger Badstuber.
"Who can stop Bayern? No team in the Bundesliga. And maybe three teams in Champions League: Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea," the paper said. "Right now, Bayern are the best team in Europe. Precise, efficient, focused. And what's even more worrying for the competitors, they did not even look like they had to give it their all against Roma."
Football magazine Kicker was one of the many media outlets mentioning an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday, headlining: "7-1, Bayern in seventh heaven." They wrote: "Bayern were up 5-0 after 36 minutes and taught the heavy-footed Italians a lesson with joy of playing and a certain ease."
Other papers citing the papal audience included Munchener Merkur , who headlined: "Bayern already unearthly before the papal blessing," while Munich-based broadsheet Suddeutsche ran with: "Rome looted in just one night."
Philipp #Lahm and @Manuel_Neuer present His Holiness with a signed #FCBayern jersey. pic.twitter.com/v5Av1HBc0o
- FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) October 22, 2014
"Did Pope Francis sleep well tonight? That man is not only the head of church, but also the bishop of Rome," they said. "The city of beauty and the casual life witnessed a storm, a capture, a looting. And on Wednesday morning he had to warrant the intruders the honour of an audience. Mamma mia!"
Germany's biggest tabloid Bild ran with: "Heavenly Bayern -- the divine goal gala," stating: "What an unbelievable evening of football, It's a divine gala, especially in the first half. Dream combinations, dream goals, dream football."
"Rome's downfall," Spiegel noted, and called the 7-1 "a gobsmacking show of force" only "half a year after the critics buried Josep Guardiola's idea of football" following the semifinal defeat against Real Madrid. "Guardiola's idea of football was never more alive. Temporarily, his team played close to perfection," the news outlet said.
Over in Italy, Roma's "nightmare night" is dominating the sports headlines after the Giallorossi's collapse.
In a game being billed, significantly by Bayern, as their toughest in the group, few would have predicted such a humiliating evening for a side that Arjen Robben -- one of their own players -- believes are the strongest in Europe."I still think they are a great side," said Robben afterwards, "[But] we deserve huge compliments."
There were understandably not so many compliments for Roma, on the other hand.
"Roma, what a heavy blow," said the local Il Messaggero. "The Giallorossi's resistance lasts only nine minutes, then Bayern score five in less than half an hour."
The only praise was for the Roma fans, who applauded their team at the final whistle. "It makes your heart bleed hearing them applaud us," said captain Daniele De Rossi, who could do little but applaud back apologetically.
The sporting aspect was the main focus of Italy's media, though, with La Gazzetta dello Sport calling it a "lesson in football. Bayern arrived at the Olimpico for what was Roma's graduation examination; the final test to understand if they really could sit around a table with Europe's big clubs or not." Roma failed that test "because the difference seems truly to be profound."
Ashley Cole was not spared from the criticism -- withdrawn at half-time "because Rudi Garcia didn't want to see him humiliated anymore," according to Il Messaggero, the English full-back was given a torrid time by Arjen Robben who "played with him from the start, outclassing the Giallorosso defender."
While Rudi Garcia was taking it on the chin, Il Corriere dello Sport did not want to point the finger other than to say that Bayern were "stratospheric. From a different planet. Seven slaps in the face bring Roma back down to earth." That ground is Serie A, where Roma hope to find their feet again fast.
ESPN FC correspondents Stephan Uersfeld and Ben Gladwell contributed to this report.