It’s a remarkable curiosity after a statement win as resounding as Bayern Munich’s in the Allianz Arena, but it still didn’t tell us too much about Carlo Ancelotti’s side and their capabilities this season.

This was a convincing 5-1 win, involving some sensational football, that still had so many unconvincing elements. That is down to much more than the fact a shambolic Arsenal made it so easy for them, and barely put up opposition. In fact, that actually only raises more questions about Bayern.

Look at the key events and passages of the game.

Bayern were actually impressively - and embarrassingly - toying with Arsenal through that opening 25 minutes, effectively showing off the slickness of their play. There still wasn’t that much actual danger to it, though, and it was pointed that the opening goal came because of the away side’s inability to sense the obvious danger of Arjen Robben cutting in on his left.

At the very top level, there aren’t too many defences that are going to be so susceptible to something repeated so often.

And yet, as bad as Arsenal ended up, they more than showed what Bayern are susceptible to. The Germans appear to have real problems with sides that properly go for them on the counter-attack, and it exposes a remaining issue in Mats Hummels’s game. It should also be disconcerting that Arsenal’s - or, rather, Alexis Sanchez’s - sudden targeting of that flaw temporarily caused such panic in Bayern. They went from total control to total chaos, and coughed up some big chances.

And yet all of this is tempered by that fact that, for about 20 minutes in the second half, they were utterly sensational. They put in one of the Champions League season’s finest spells of football so far this season.

Divine moves were combined with a devastating blood lust, as they went all out to finish Arsenal off and did that emphatically. Wenger's side were just overwhelmed.

That displayed the potential of this team to once again be really special, but it’s still like there’s going to be something missing.

Maybe it fits with the trend of this Champions League season. This already feels like it’s going to be one of those campaigns where all the main contenders are a little off top level; closer to champions like Milan 2007 or Real Madrid 2014 than Milan 1989 or Barcelona 2011.

It’s also possible Bayern’s performance fits into the trend of manager Carlo Ancelotti’s career, and why this season has so far seemed underwhelming despite winning 11 of their last 12.

He is in the distinctive situation, after all, of having won as many Champions League as league titles despite spending close to two decades at the wealthiest clubs in Europe. His record on the continent is spectacular, but his record domestically so middle-of-the-road.

Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Manuel Neuer – 6 out of 10 Lucky not to be punished when he spilled Ozil’s first-half free-kick. Got down well to Sanchez’s penalty, perhaps should have stopped the rebound. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Philip Lahm – 7 out of 10 Weighted the cross for Lewandowski’s goal perfectly. Will miss the second leg after picking up a booking. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Javi Martinez – 7 out of 10 Looked uneasy when Arsenal’s forwards could run at him before the break, but was protected by his team’s dominance of possession afterwards. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Mats Hummels – 8 out of 10 Assured at the centre of Bayern’s defence, but in truth was rarely troubled. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings David Alaba – 7 out of 10 Took a while to ease himself into the game but won his battle with Bellerin decisively. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Xabi Alonso – 7 out of 10 Failed to exert his usual influence in the first half, and should have done better to stop Sanchez’s effort, but was instrumental once Bayern started to move through the gears. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Arturo Vidal – 6 out of 10 A quieter influence on the game than his Bayern team-mates, but had little to contend with in the middle of the park. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Arjen Robben – 9 out of 10 His simply stunning strike in the opening exchanges set the tone for the evening. A reminder why he has been one of the continent’s best over the past decade. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Thiago – 8 out of 10 An excellent display was capped off with two sweet goals. Eased the ball past Ospina for Bayern’s third, slightly fortunate for his second. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Douglas Costa – 5 out of 10 Bayern’s only real disappointment of the night, he failed to fizz and crackle like the rest of their forward talents. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Robert Lewandowski – 8 out of 10 Somewhat unlucky to concede the penalty, but atoned with a magnificent header to put his side back in front. His assist for Thiago was even better. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings David Ospina – 6 out of 10 Improved after a nervy start, and despite conceding five, stopped Bayern on several occasions. Produced one brilliant save to deny Martinez. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Hector Bellerin – 4 out of 10 Still looking bang out-of-sorts, the young Spaniard offered none of the invention and threat we have come to expect. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Shkodran Mustafi – 5 out of 10 No contest for Lewandowski, who used him as a climbing frame for Bayern’s second. Looked more comfortable with Koscielny as a partner. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 7 out of 10 Looked excellent early on and did well to win the penalty. His departure through injury at the start of the second half was the harbinger of Arsenal’s collapse. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Kieran Gibbs – 4 out of 10 Left-back continues to prove a problem area for Arsenal. Robben had it all his own way. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Francis Coquelin – 4 out of 10 Elected to stand off Robben rather than get tight, allowing the opening goal to fly past him. Recovered, but utterly over-ran by Bayern’s midfield after the break. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Granit Xhaka – 5 out of 10 Forced Neuer into action with a well-taken first-time shot from the edge of the box in the first half. It was his only real moment of note. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Alex Iwobi – 4 out of 10 A quiet night for the youngster. Substituted after Bayern’s fourth goal, replaced by Theo Walcott. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Mesut Ozil – 5 out of 10 Missing in action, once again. Could have punished Bayern when he broke in behind in the closing stages of the first half but ran down a blind alley. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 4 out of 10 Failed to justify his surprise selection on the left-flank, rarely troubling Lahm. Getty Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Alexis Sanchez – 7 out of 10 Kept running into brick walls until the penalty. His initial effort was poor but showed composure to guide the ball home at the third time of asking.

Described by some who know him as so much more “normal” than most of his extremely obsessive contemporaries, the inevitable thought is that he lacks the intensity required for league campaigns, but that gentler approach can actually be perfect for the grand events Champions League knock-out matches become.

Bayern certainly rose to it against Arsenal, and the way they battered Wenger’s side when stung into a response for that rousing 20 minutes should be a worry for everyone else in the competition. That is the level they are capable of reaching.

Even before that, in a quieter moment of the game, there was a sublime passage of play between David Alaba, Douglas Costa and Thiago Alcantara. They opened up Arsenal’s entire left side with a series of effortless one-touch passes.

Again, reflecting how two-sided this team are, though, that effortlessness became an issue. There was casualness to all of this that left them vulnerable, that was only rectified by the powerful force of Robert Lewandowski’s headed goal.

The wonder, then, is whether Bayern can reach that level enough to go and win this competition again.

It should be there for them. They have so many stars, they have so much quality, they have so much experience.

They also have a few flaws and a system that only ever temporarily fully functions.

That will encourage the rest of Europe.

Ancelotti was later asked if he felt the performance was a statement in that sense.

“It’s important only for us, because the performance gives us more confidence. We know we can play with efficiency, compact. It’s only for us. We hope to go forward and this performance doesn’t affect opposing teams. It’s just good for us.”

That maybe says more than anything. This is very much a team finding itself, as they go in search of a sixth Champions League for the club, fourth for this manager, and second for this group of players.