Croatia striker Ivica Olic's superb hat trick fired Bayern Munich into its first Champions League final since 2001 as the German side demolished Olympique Lyon 3-0 away Tuesday. Three clinical finishes from Olic helped the four-time European champion complete a 4-0 aggregate semifinal success at Stade Gerland. Olic netted his first after 26 minutes with a neat turn and shot, smashed in a pass from Hamit Altintop after 67 minutes and completed his hat trick with a header 12 minutes from time. It was only the second ever hat trick in a Champions League semifinal. “I didn't think we'd win in such a one-sided manner and that I'd get three goals,” Olic told German TV. “That's just incredible in a match like this.” Bayern will face either Inter Milan or Barcelona in the May 22 final at the Bernabeu in Madrid. Lyon finished the game with 10 men after center back Cris was sent off just before the hour. He was booked for a foul on Olic, then shown a second yellow card for mocking referee Massimo Busacca's decision. “They were the stronger team. Too bad we failed to equalise (after the first goal) because we had a few chances,” Lyon coach Claude Puel told French TV channel TF1. It was a night to celebrate for Bayern, which had not been in the Champions League final since beating Valencia on penalties nine years ago. It got off to a strong start, Thomas Mueller missing a clear cut opportunity after two minutes when his low shot from inside the box went a fraction wide. It was only a matter of time for Bayern, which looked sharper even without the suspended Franck Ribery. Following a fine one-two with Arjen Robben, Mueller raced into the box, cut it back for Olic, who turned and slotted past the helpless Hugo Lloris in the 26th minute. Lyon missed its chance to level on the half hour when Michel Bastos fluffed a left-footed attempt after Lisandro Lopez had found the Brazilian unmarked at the far post. Puel replaced Aly Cissokho with striker Bafetimbi Gomis, with Bastos taking the left back position as Lyon tried to step up a gear after the interval. Bayern still had the upper hand though, a Bastian Schweinsteiger 25-meter volley whizzing over the bar on 53 minutes. The contest was effectively over just before the hour when center back Cris was sent off, picking a second yellow card for dissent seconds after being shown the first. It did not take Bayern long to make the most of it, as Olic collected a through ball from Altintop before coolly slotting past Lloris. He rubbed salt on his opponents' wounds by adding a third with a powerful header that went under the bar 12 minutes from time. Barca in danger Barcelona's impressive run under coach Pep Guardiola is in danger of suffering its first setback unless the Champions League title holder can overturn a two-goal deficit against Inter Milan Wednesday. Barcelona has won six trophies with Guardiola at the helm, but faces the daunting task of having to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit against an Inter side led by Jose Mourinho, one of Europe's most successful coaches in recent years. Barcelona must win a contest where key players could be missing on both sides. A 2-0 victory is the minimum needed against the Serie A champion for the Catalan club to reach the May 22 final at rival Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
