Barcelona will welcome Bayern Munich to Camp Nou this Wednesday for an all-important UEFA Champions League group-stage match.
Venue: Camp Nou (Barcelona)
Key Statistics
Barcelona are unbeaten in their last eight home games in all competitions (W7, D1).
The hosts have kept six clean sheets in eight home games this season.
They have scored 3+ goals in six home games this season.
Barça are unbeaten across four UCL home games (W2, D2).
Bayern Munich lost just one of their last 28 UCL matches as the designated away side (W22, D5).
The Bavarians are unbeaten in their last seven competitive games (W6, D1).
They have scored 2+ goals in each of their last seven games.
Head to head
Bayern Munich have won the last five heart-head games between both sides, scoring an average of 3.8 goals per game.
Latest performances in all competitions
Barcelona: W-W-L-D-W
Bayern Munich: W-W-W-W-D
Barcelona
It’s all or nothing for Barcelona in this game against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The Catalan side are already on the precipice in the Champions League after winning just one of their opening four group-stage games (D1, L2). They currently sit third in their group and can only qualify for the knockout rounds if win this game and the next while hoping that Inter fails to win both games too.
The chances of that happening is very slim though, but at least Xavi’s men will be focused on fulfilling their own side of the bargain, starting with a win against a Bayern Munich side that has repeatedly humiliated them in recent seasons.
Barca have lost their last five head-to-head meetings to Bayern and suffered a 3-0 loss to the German giants here last season–a loss that began a run of results that them to the Europa League. They will be desperate to avoid a repeat of such a result this time and to build on their impressive 4-0 win against Athletic Bilbao at home last time out.
Xavi’s men made it two wins in two league games last Sunday when they brushed aside Bilbao, with goals from Ousmane Dembele, Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski giving them a first-half lead.
The result was their second consecutive victory ‘to nil’ at home after leading 3-0 at half-time following the 3-3 UCL draw here with Inter Milan. They will be hoping for such a performance this time when Bayern come visiting.
Possible Barcelona starting line-up
Marc Ter Stegen; Jules Kounde, Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia, Alex Balde; Sergio Busquets, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong; Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele.
Injured: Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Memphis Depay, Sergi Roberto
Doubtful: Gavi
Suspended: None
Bayern Munich
For Bayern, they will travel to Catalonia looking to rub salt in the wounds of their rivals Barcelona for the sixth time in a row.
The Bavarians have enjoyed themselves against Barcelona recently and will be pleased to be the club that will consign them to the Europa League for the second season in a row.
The visitors have already qualified having won their opening four games, but it’s still a marquee European heavyweight bout, and pride is on the line.
They come into this tie on the back of a 2-0 win over Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. The result kept them firmly in the title race, just one point behind Union Berlin. The win was also their fourth win in a row and extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games (W6, D1).
Such a form will give them confidence heading into this tie. That, and that they have won both UCL away games this term by a two-goal margin and have remarkably lost just one of their last 28 UCL matches as the designated away side (W22, D5), means that Julian Nagelsmann’s men have history on their side.
Possible Bayern Munich starting line-up
Sven Ulreich; Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, Matthijs de Ligt, Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Marcel Sabitzer; Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, Sadio Mane.
Injured: Bouna Sarr, Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sané, Lucas Hernández
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Barcelona 2-2 Barcelona
