Though Atalanta required at least five goals at the Allianz Arena - something no side had ever previously achieved at Bayern in Europe - the six-time champions still dominated the opening exchanges and looked likely to extend their lead.
Marco Sportiello was forced into a number of simple early saves, but the difficulty level was increased for the Atalanta stopper when a VAR review decided that Harry Kane’s volley had struck the hand of Giorgio Scalvini and awarded a penalty.
Sportiello stepped away from his line in saving Kane’s spot kick, forcing a retake which the England international duly dispatched.
Aiming to play for pride, the visitors were soon presented with a golden chance when Charles De Ketelaere raced through, but pressure from the onrushing defenders forced him to pass wide.
Though Bayern continued to dominate, the remainder of the half was promising for Atalanta, with Mario Pasalic testing Jonas Urbig, but the hosts turned the screw following the restart.
Bayern’s individual quality was on full display as Kane brilliantly turned between a pair of defenders on the edge of the area before powering a shot into the far top corner.
Then, Lennart Karl made it three after being picked out by Luis Diaz on the right side of the box and passing beyond Sportiello for his fourth of the UCL campaign.
Atalanta’s valiant efforts to at least give their travelling fans something to cheer proved to be in vain, as they were soon hit on the counter by Diaz, who cheekily lifted his finish over Sportiello to make it double figures in the tie.
The visitors did eventually get their goal when Lazar Samardzic headed in Pasalic’s flick at the far post, but that was a small consolation for Raffaele Palladino’s men.
Bayern’s emphatic victory over the two legs is their ninth in 10 UCL games this season, and sees them through to face record champions Real Madrid in one of the picks of the quarter finals.
Atalanta couldn’t repeat their win over Borussia Dortmund in the last round – or indeed their UEFA Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 – and are the final Italian side to see their UCL campaign come to an end this season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)