It’s a message to everyone

After his four-goal haul, Serge Gnabry says Bayern Munich’s 7-2 gala romp at Tottenham Hotspur sent a  “big message” to their Champions League rivals.

Gnabry dazzled at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday as Bayern handed their hosts the highest-ever home defeat suffered by an English team in European competition.

The former Arsenal winger netted his four goals in a devastating second-half spell while Poland striker Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Spurs’ defence capitulated.

“I think (the other teams) know we are not stopping,” Gnabry said after his first Champions League goals on his 12th appearance in the competition.

“After going 3-1 or 4-2 up we could have stopped but we wanted more.

“I think it’s a big message for everyone else.”

Germany legend and Sky pundit Lothar Matthaeus agreed that Bayern  “set an example to their international competition as far as the Champions League title is concerned.

Gnabry was over the moon with his performance, saying: “It’s hard to put it in words. I think the last time I scored four goals was when I was a child,” he laughed.

Tottenham’s early lead by Son Heung-min was wiped out 194 seconds later by Joshua Kimmich as Bayern led 2-1 at half-time after a superb Lewandowski finish.

Then ex-Arsenal forward Gnabry broke down the left after the break, burst into the box and drilled into the bottom corner. He struck again two minutes later, firing home after Spurs’ Harry Winks lost possession.

The hosts pulled back to 4-2 on the hour mark when Harry Kane converted a penalty after a foul on Danny Rose, but it was all Bayern after that.

Gnabry sealed his hattrick on 83 minutes after getting behind Spurs’ defence, yet there was still time for Lewandowski to side home a sixth for the Germans.

IT’S A SHAMBLES, SAYS POCH

Mauricio Pochettino urged Tottenham to face their problems  “like a man”.

Pochettino also talked about  “different agendas in the squad”, hinting that all was not well in the dressing room.

“I don’t think Serge Aurier wants to be here, Christian Eriksen hasn’t signed a new contract. There is so much going on off the pitch,” he said.

“It should have been dealt with over the summer. Instead all the contract questions are still going on. It’s a shambles.”

It is impossible to know what Pochettino said to his players behind closed doors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but when he spoke to the press after the game he was measured.

“I think we are very critical of ourselves, to find always the way to fix problems,” he said.  “We need again to try to work, to try to move on. I think it’s more psychological now.”  “The most important thing is to stay calm, no rushed analysis, no rushed judgement, no rushed assessment,” he added.

“You need to show your quality like a man first. To face it like a professional. This type of situation you have to show your quality, how you are strong.”

Pochettino talked about how last season’s Champions League run, which saw them reach the final before losing to Liverpool, was the end of a cycle and spoke of the need for a reset.

“For me after the final of the Champions League was a chapter closed and now the club is in a period that they need to open another chapter and design a project medium, long-term,” he said.

Jan Vertonghen said Tottenham’s players felt  “ashamed”.

“It was a painful night for us,” the Belgium defender said.  “They punished us with every single mistake we made and we let the fans and everyone at the club down with this result. Everyone is ashamed of this result. There’s not too much I can say about this.”

Spurs have had a rocky start to the season, winning just three of 10 games in all competitions, but Vertonghen’s central defensive partner Toby Alderweireld has called on his side to be  “men” in their response to the hammering.

“It is up to us to try to change it as quickly as possible,” he said. “This is part of football, sometimes you are on the good side, sometimes you are on the bad side. We have to be men and take responsibility to try to change this as quickly as possible.”