UEFA Champions League rivals Bayern Munich and Barcelona meet again this year in the group stage of Europe’s premier club competition, with both sides looking for group supremacy when they face off at Allianz Arena.
Venue: Allianz Arena (Munich)
Key Statistics
Bayern Munich have won just one of their last four competitive games at home (D3).
The hosts have won each of their last four UCL groups and 18 in total during the club’s history, just three shy of Barcelona’s competition record.
They are unbeaten in their last 22 games at home (W7, D5).
Bayern are unbeaten in their last 24 UCL home group games (W23, D1).
Barcelona have won their last five competitive games.
They have scored 3+ goals in each of their last five games.
The visitors have 12 wins from their last 27 UCL away games (D9, L6).
Former Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski has scored nine goals in just six appearances for Barcelona.
Head to head
Barcelona have never won away at the Allianz Arena in this competition against Bayern Munich (D2, L4).
Overall, they have just two wins and have suffered eight losses against the Bavarians (D1).
Latest performances in all competitions
Bayern Munich: D-W-D-W-D
Barcelona: W-W-W-W-D
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich will look to make it two wins in two UCL group games when they lock horns with Barcelona in Round two of the UEFA Champions League Group C clash.
The Bavarians sit second in Group C after their 0-2 win over Inter Milan in round one. A Leroy Sane goal and an own goal from D’Ambrosio ensured that the Germans kept pace with Xavi’s men at the top.
However, Bayern Munich could not replicate their Champions League result in their domestic league. Julian Nagelsmann’s men were held to a 2-2 draw by Stuttgart in round six of the German Bundesliga.
The draw with Stuttgart means that the Bavarians are winless in their last two games in the Bundesliga, and head into this crunch tie with the Spaniards on a lower momentum than Xavi’s team.
Bayern Munich beat Barcelona over both legs in last season’s Champions League group stages, and have inflicted severe damage on the Spanish heavyweights in recent memory claiming four wins in their last five games including the famous 8-2 rout back in 2020.
Bayern lost a vital member of the team who dominated Barcelona in recent times in the person of Robert Lewandowski. With the Polish marksman now representing the Blaugrana, it is yet to be seen how Nagelsmann will stop his former player who knows the team too well. The German tactician will come into this game full of confidence with his two wins in two games against the Blaugrana, but such a record will stand a true test when they face up against a rejuvenated Barcelona.
Possible Bayern Munich starting line-up
Manuel Neuer; Alphonso Davies, Lucas Hernandez, Matthijs de Ligt, Benjamin Pavard; Joshua Kimmich, Marcel Sabitzer; Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Sadio Mane.
Injured: Bouna Sarr, Kingsley Coman
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Barcelona
Barcelona, on the other hand, come into this game in great form both domestically and internationally, with five wins in their last five games in all competitions.
Xavi’s men scored a whopping 20 goals in those five matches, with five coming in the game against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League last week. Goals from Franck Kessié and Ferran Torres and a hat trick from Robert Lewandowski ensured that Xavi’s men started their Champions League campaign on a strong note.
The Spanish coach knows too well the importance of this fixture and will be expecting a solid performance from his boys when they travel to the Allianz Arena. The addition of Robert Lewandowski to the team has worked wonders for the Blaugrana and the Polish striker has proved to be a great bargain, and thanks to him Barcelona enter into this game with great momentum having beaten Cadiz last weekend with the Polish striker finding himself on the scoresheet inside three minutes upon coming on and laying on a further two assists to fire the Spanish giants to a 0-4 victory.
Xavi Hernandez will be counting on his talismanic striker once more to help maintain their perfect start to the Champions League campaign when both teams take to the field on Tuesday night.
Possible Barcelona starting line-up
Marc Ter Stegen; Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Alex Balde; Gavi, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong; Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele.
Injured: Sergi Roberto
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Bayern 3-2 Barcelona
