With their Champions League survival hanging on results from elsewhere, Barcelona welcomes already-qualified Bayern Munich in a make-or-break clash at Camp Nou.
Xavi’s men have made life miserable for them after drawing 3-3 with Inter in their last group stage game while Bayern Munich enters yet another knockout phase of the competition by beating Viktoria Plzen 4-2.
BAR vs BAY Match Details
Date: Wednesday, 26 October 2022 / Thursday, 27 October 2022
Time: 20:00 (BST) / 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona
BAR vs BAY Match Preview
The 3-3 draw at Camp Nou against a resilient Inter Milan side and some shoddy defending from their own two weeks ago has almost confirmed Barcelona’s exit from the group stages of the Champions League for the second year running. The Catalan side can only hope Viktoria Plzen, placed bottom in the table having lost all of their games and conceded 16, will do a miracle against Inter Milan at San Siro to give them a favor. Barcelona have to win their game against Bayern Munich in the first place to stand a chance but everything will be dead and buried once the Italian side does their job against the Czech champions. In that case, Xavi’s men will parachute down to the Europa League again which is a cruel blow to the side that unfolded a catalogue of star signings in the summer by selling some of the club’s assets taking the risk for the future even in bubbling financial turmoil. They are currently placed in that position on third collecting only three points from their win against Viktoria Plzen in the opening group stage game subsequently losing away trips to Bayern and Inter and then drawing with the latter in the reverse fixture to put them on the brink of elimination. Inter looks like the side to join Bayern Munich for the latter rounds with seven points to their name and a better head-to-head record than Barcelona. In La Liga, The Blaugranas also lost the early title-clinching duel against Real Madrid in the El Classico but has bounced back with two emphatic wins at home against Villarreal and Athletic Club scoring seven goals without reply. Barcelona have not lost a home game this season in all competitions a significant boost to put up a decent fight against a strong Bayern Munich team. Having said that, Bayern have won the last five fixtures of this meeting and three of the five games played at Camp Nou. Hence, Barcelona somehow have to find the elite club mentality which they haven’t shown in European competition for some years now in this do-or-die match to pursue their last hope left in the contest.
The curious part of the clash is Bayern Munich’s approach to this game not a significant fixture in this congested schedule. The Bundesliga giants have blown the proposition of Group C being a tight one by winning all of their games so far and qualified to the knockout stages with two game days to spare. Bayern defeated Barcelona 2-0 on their home turf after doing the same against Inter a game ago while Viktoria Plzen didn’t stand a chance against them losing 9-2 in total over two matches. Defensive fragilities remain in the side but Bayern has turned things around this month with six wins out of seven in all competitions, the exciting 2-2 draw against rivals Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker the only exception. Having sealed qualification to round of 16, one would think Bayern Munich will take this clash lightly with nothing at stake although their undisputed unbeaten record at the group stages could be broken. The Bayern board said they will enjoy this fixture at Camp Nou having not lost there or anywhere in this fixture since the 2014/15 season. This will be a retake of Robert Lewandowski’s reunion with his old side after the first game at Allianz Arena where lack of finishing touch from Barcelona allowed Bayern to prevent their ex-goal-scoring machine, who bagged his 17th goal in all competition this weekend, to score against them. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have found momentum at the right moment to climb up the Bundesliga table having the worst start in their league history and has narrowed down their gap to surprise leaders Union Berlin to just a point. With six games to play in 17 days before the World Cup, Nagelsmann may be tempted to rotate his side to keep his players fresh and ready for more important clashes to aim for ahead. However, injuries will restrict them from making the necessary changes in the starting eleven.
Recent Form (all competitions)
FCB: WWLDW
BAY: WWWWD
Recent Form (Champions League)
FCB: DLLW
BAY: WWWW
BAR vs BAY Team News
Barcelona will be without Andreas Christensen as he continues his recovery from a sprained ankle but unlike the last group stage game against Inter, Barcelona will have Jules Kounde available to partner alongside Eric Garcia. However, Hector Bellerin will be drafted in the right-back spot after Sergi Roberto dislocated his shoulder in the win against Athletic Club. Gavi too suffered a knock in the game but has made himself available for this clash. Memphis Depay and Ronald Araujo remain out for this month due to their respective injuries. Pedri started in the frontline at the weekend although he is likely to be brought back in the midfield with Ansu Fati getting a start on the left.
Bayern Munich continues to be without Leroy Sane who is battling to get fit ahead of the World Cup from a hip injury he picked up against Freiburg two weeks ago. Defender Lucas Hernandez still requires weeks to recover from his groin problem with Manuel Neuer also facing the same concern as national teammate Sane to be available for Germany in Qatar out with a shoulder injury. Bouna Sarr is ruled out until the new year with a tendon injury. There are no fresh concerns in the squad ahead of the clash.
BAR vs BAY Predicted Lineups
FCB: Ter Stegen; Hector Bellerin, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde; De Jong, Sergio Busquets, Pedri; Ousmane Dembele, Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati
BAY: Sven Ulreich; Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, De Ligt, Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka; Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Kingsley Coman; Sadio Mane
BAR vs BAY Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Ter Stegen (5.5)
DEF: Kounde (8), Upamecano (8), Davies (7.5), Balde (7.5)
MID: Gnabry (8.5), Kimmich (8), Pedri (8.5), Musiala (9)
FW: Dembele (9), Lewandowski (9)
Vice-captain: Ousmane Dembele
Captain: Robert Lewandowski
