Regardless of recent history, Barcelona fans are hopeful ahead of the match against Bayern. The team has shown great promise since Xavi’s arrival as a coach and the recent reinforcements on the pitch have many neutrals favoring the Catalans in this tie.
In the last couple of years, the fate has been harsh on Barcelona, and the hammer of punishment was Bayern München. Whenever the two crossed their paths, it ended in a humiliating defeat for the Blaugrana, and the consecutive utter devastations stomped us in the mud.
After a summer of huge investement in the squad, Xavi has now all the tools available to turn things around. Barca News Network brings you four key points ahead of this mouth watering clash against Bayern Munich
1. The Return of Lewandowski at Allianz Arena:
Beyond dispute, the return of the Polish marksman to the Allianz Arena will be the spiciest individual narrative of the game, as he is set to step on the pitch of Allianz Arena for the first time following his summer switch to the Catalans that left Bayern with a distasteful mouth.
Xavi on Lewandowski’s return as a Barca player:
“Lewandowski is fine, he is calm and confident. He is a natural leader of the team, and this match is special for him.”
Muller on Lewandowski’s return as a Barca player:
“Sadio has been jokingly telling me for the last 10 days to be careful not to accidentally pass the ball to Lewandowski. We have to play our game tomorrow and not focus too much on Lewy.”
“We remain in contact via WhatsApp after his move. Of course, things got hot after the draw. Footballers are no different than other people”
Nagelsmann on Lewandowski’s return as a Barca player:
“If I see Lewandowski tomorrow, I will shake hands with him. I’d be happy if our fans welcome him well. That’s normal when someone has given so much to the club. That’s how things should be. He was an important part of the Bayern family. I wish him the best.”
“I don’t know if Lewandowski is their most dangerous player, but I’m sure he’s their biggest goal threat. Lewy has a good presence and makes good runs. But if he doesn’t get the ball, it will be difficult for him to score. Barcelona also have other dangerous players.”
2. The Pontential Line-up
Alejandro Balde is likely to be given the keys alongside Ronald Araújo, Eric Garcia, and Jules Kounde at the back. The aforementioned backline promises astute build-up play and ample defensive diligence, especially following their recent run of games.
In midfield, Busquets, Pedri, and Gavi appear to be mainstays with Busquets controlling proceedings from the base of midfield, and Gavi and Pedri complementing their strengths to ensure constant pressure and creativity.
Up front, Raphinha, Lewandowski, and Dembélé will be tasked to feast in the final third; the trio has proven to be a major success in previous outings, with Dembélé and Raphinha particularly rotating incessantly, while Lewandowski imposes himself centrally. All three seem to be arriving in great form with no shortage of goals, which exude optimism.
3. Press against Press
This is one of those fixtures, in which not only the teams but their style of play will clash against each other as both teams want to have the ball, press high up the pitch, stretch the field with wide outlets and maintain a high defensive line. The team with better execution will come out victorious from this high voltage encounter.
Nevertheless, it will be a huge test for Xavi and his new-look team, and by no means an easy objective against possibly one of the best sides in Europe. However, no matter the level of difficulty, the name of Barcelona should be served with 100% perseverance and dedication. Motivated by the past failures, the team will surely seek revenge on this monstrous giant of Bayern München.
