Heavyweight names of European football Barcelona and Bayern Munich went head to head Wednesday night in the first round of the Champions League group games. The Germans coasted to an easy victory in Spain taking home all three points on offer with a superb display.
Barcelona’s weekend game was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols so had not had a game since late August. Pedri, after a long season involving the European Championships and Olympics returned to midfield after a granted absence of leave. New signing Luuk De Jong partnered fellow Dutchman Memphis Depay in attack.
Ronald Koeman chose Ronald Araújo to partner Eric García and Gerard Piqué in a back three flanked by Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto. Frenkie De Jong and long time midfield pivot Sergio Busquets completed the started XI.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann had fitness concerns over both star striker Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry but named the former in the starting line up with the German international winger replaced by Jamal Musiala. Niklas Süle came into central defense replacing Lucas Hernández with the rest of the side keeping their places after the demolition win over RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first 20 mins with the best chance falling to Leroy Sané who fired in a volley from the left hand side of the area that was well saved by Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen after a cross had found it’s way to him and he had chested it down into his path.
Bayern began to turn the screw and opened the scoring through Thomas Müller. Building down the left hand side a ball was flicked by Sané into the Müller’s path. Taken a touch to move the ball forward, the German international let fly with a strike that was heading towards ter Stegen but was diverted past him by Eric García who had turned his back on the shot.
Barcelona were failing to beat the press of Bayern and were struggling to mount any pressure on the Bavarians goal as the German Champions comfortably saw out the remainder of the first half.
Sané and Musiala picked up from where they started in the second half terrorizing Barcelona’s wingbacks with their speed and skill and Sané nearly doubled the lead just after the restart bundling his way into the area to see his well struck shot blocked by the outstretched leg of ter Stegen.
It wasn’t long though before a second was added and it came from Lewandowski. Again neat build up around the Barcelona box saw Alphonso Davies unleash a half volley that was blocked into the path of Musiala. The young attacker controlled and shot towards goal, hitting the post with the ball bouncing out to be turned home by the Pole.
Lewandowski added his second and the third of the night in the 86th minute for Munich with another close range finish. Gnabry was fed in down the right hand side of the box and his effort smacked off the post back to the Polish captain, who controlled shifted inside one defender before firing in via a Piqué deflection.
The Blaugrana‘s subs offered little impact and in truth could not get near their counterparts as they were continually pulled apart and exploited down the flanks.
Barcelona must regroup now before a home clash to Granada next Monday night whilst Bayern Munich welcome VFL Bochum to the Allianz Arena on Saturday.