Champions League: Point of No Return for Barcelona

Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

You could be excused for thinking Champions League: Barcelona vs FC Bayern sounds like a fixture from the later stages of Europe’s premier competition but it could be the Blaugrana’s swansong if they fail to beat the German champions at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night.  

Xavi’s team may be out of the competition and into the Europa League by Thursday morning, and possibly even earlier. With four wins from four Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern have been relentless in Group C and they sit five points clear of Inter Milan. Meanwhile one win in four has left the Blaugrana in serious peril. I Nerazzurri need to beat Viktoria Plzen to guarantee their place in the knockout phase and as they kick off at the San Siro over two hours earlier than Barca, it could be curtains for the Catalans before they step on the pitch.     

If that’s the case the Barcelona vs FC Bayern updates won’t really worry the Italians, but it will be a matter of huge pride for the Blaugrana, and particularly their star striker Robert Lewandowski, who left Bayern for the Camp Nou in summer.  

Barca come into the game on the back of a thumping 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, while Bayern won 2-0 away to TSG Hoffenheim.

Talking Points

Will Xavi continue with a four man midfield?

Following a damaging El Clasico loss just over a week ago Barca have responded by slapping Villarreal 3-0 and then Athletic Bilbao 4-0, but they are still playing catch-up as Real Madrid show little sign of any weakness. The Barca boss started the game against Athletic with four midfielders, Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, with Lewandowski alongside Ousmane Dembele in attack. Barca’s midfield dominance eventually paid dividends and Barca romped home with four different goal scorers, Lewandowski, Dembele, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres.

Xavi was delighted, saying: “We thought it was a game of intensity and rhythm. We understood that they were going to pressure us high. We added one more midfielder and today we attacked inside. Ousmane was especially good and the team understood that.”

Lewandowski is the main man though, in addition to scoring 12 league goals, five more than anyone else, the Polish striker has hit five Champions League goals and he would dearly love to add to that tally against his old employers.

FC Bayern have a point to make

Ultimately this game may be just about pride for the Catalans, but that is already the case for Bayern who are safely through. And Nagelsmann’s team is particularly keen to ram home to Lewi that he made a wrong decision in leaving Bavaria.       

Following the departure of their star striker Bayern recruited Sadio Mane from Liverpool and he has settled well, scoring two goals in the Champions League, but it is another former Premier League star, Leroy Sane, who is top scoring with four. Attacking midfielder Leon Goretzka is as influential as ever and he has contributed two goals and three assists to Bayern’s near perfect campaign.

The German champions are currently trailing Union Berlin in the Bundesliga and a trip to Hoffenheim was a good test of Bayern’s current form, which they passed with flying colours. Goretzka set up Jamal Musiala’s opener, and his ability to pick out passes has been a key feature to Bayern’ success in recent years. Playing in the centre or out wide he is always one of the first names on the team sheet and Goretzka is well up for this game: “When we play against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou, be it a friendly game or a Champions League final, it doesn’t matter, “ he says. “It’s going to be a great game that we’re looking forward to and we will also do everything we can to win it.” 

History

In terms of head to head records the Bundesliga champions have won eight of these encounters to Barca’s five and there has been one draw; but the last five games have all gone the way of Die Bayern, the last being a 2-0 win in Munich just six weeks ago as Sane and Musiala struck early in the second half.    

Bayern’s recent form is better too, with five wins and a draw from the last six games, and they have won their last three away matches, scoring 11 goals and conceding four. Meanwhile Barca have won three, drawn one and lost two, including a damaging 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan.        

Betting Tip

The Barcelona vs FC Bayern betting oddsare backing a home win, for all the good it may do the Catalans, with Barca at SBOTOP odds of 2.32, the draw at 3.30 with Bayern at 2.73. Whatever is at stake both teams have a point to prove, for differing reasons, and I expect a full on attacking game. For an alternative bet Over 3.25 goals is available at 1.96 and a correct score line of 2-2 is at 9.40. If there is a positive result then I think Barca, and Lewi, might just edge it.

 

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