Bayern 3-0 Barcelona: Match Review

Heading into the game in Munich, not much was expected from the clash against the Bundesliga leaders. Bayern were convincingly top of the group, having won all five of their Champions League games to date.

Meanwhile, Barcelona lay on the verge of facing a group stage exit. And while theoretically, their fate lay in their own hands, the situation was far from that simple.

Barcelona needed either Benfica to lose or Julian Nagelsmann’s side to slip up on the night. However, neither happened.

On the chilly night of Wednesday, Xavi opted for an attacking formation that featured Ousmane Dembele on the lineup for the first time in months. Sergino Dest and Memphis Depay completed the forward line with him.

Barcelona began well with some bright spells of possession. The drive coupled with a slight slackness from the hosts helped the Catalans put some pressure on the German defense.

However, the first blow for Barcelona came when Benfica went two goals up in the other clash, putting the visitors in a must won situation.

Robert Lewandowski soon dismantled Gerard Pique and lobbed the ball over to Thomas Muller in the 34th minute. The ball was eventually headed in by the German and could not be kept out even by Araujo’s heroic effect.

The psychological effect of conceding was visible in Barcelona’s changed approach immediately. The side suddenly seemed uninspired and sluggish, and eventually paved the way to a second goal just nine minutes later. Leroy Sane fired in a shot from long range and found the back of the net after a shockingly poor effort from Marc Andre ter Stegen.

2-0 down at half-time, Barcelona had a mountain to climb in the second period.

Two minutes into the second half, Bayern had a lovely chance to put the game to bed. However, Leroy Sane could not control the ball and bury his chance.

The second half resonated with the first half, with the visitors rarely creating any threat. Jamal Musiala scores at the hour mark after a dazzling run and assist by Alphonso Davies.

Desperate changes from Xavi could not reverse the situation either on the night. Nico Gonzalez, Phillipe Coutinho, and Riqui Puig were the players called upon from the bench, but none could change the scoresheet.

With this result, Barcelona are eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages. Their European conquest will now continue in the Europa League.