Barcelona have already started Wednesday’s game against Champions League knocked-out Bayern Munich with two group stage fixtures to spare, but proved against the Germans that they could well be at Europa League level thanks to a terrible 3-0 defeat at Spotify Camp Nou. The Blaugrana had no fighting, no intensity and no creativity in attack, and comfortably lost to a Bayern side who barely had a try for the entire 90 minutes.
FIRST HALF
The dejected and dejected body language of the Barcelona players during the Champions League anthem was a sign of things to come. The first 45 minutes were absolutely pathetic from a side that was clearly impacted by the Inter Milan win and couldn’t muster any energy or intensity at all.
Only Ousmane Dembélé showed any real fighting spirit, and Robert Lewandowski was the only other player willing to deal with Bayern’s physical play and at least attempt to be a threat. The Germans never needed to try so hard, and they still created great chances and found the back of the net against a terrible Barca defence.
The opening goal came from a magnificent through ball from Serge Gnabry to find Sadio Mané, who easily beat Héctor Bellerín for pace and flicked the ball past Marc-André ter Stegen to put Bayern ahead; 20 minutes later, a similar counterattack goal with another assist from Gnabry and a fine finish from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Barca almost received a lifeline just before half-time when Lewandowski fell under a challenge from Matthijs De Ligt, and referee Anthony Taylor gave away a penalty before going to the VAR monitor and changing sides. notice although he saw no clear and obvious evidence to quash his appeal. .
At half-time, a depressing Barca earned two goals against a Bayern side who didn’t need a try, and sadly there were still 45 minutes to go.
SECOND PART
Xavi Hernández, for reasons known only to himself, made no change at half-time and watched his side deteriorate further for 15 minutes before deciding to make substitutions, but the game was over by this time. there and Barça had absolutely no answer against a Bayern. team that continued to sleepwalk to an easy victory.
There was a slight improvement in attacking play in the final 20 minutes once Ansu Fati came on, but nothing that really scared the Germans off. The final moments were legitimately depressing to watch, with a Barca side chasing the ball like schoolboys while Bayern easily passed it waiting for the end of the game.
There was still time to make matters worse as the visitors had a late corner kick and Benjamin Pavard found himself all alone in the box to score Bayern’s third goal with the game’s final touch.
The final whistle came to end Barca’s Champions League run with another European embarrassment. These have become the norm over the last half-decade, and this team is truly terrible to watch in continental play. What an awful night.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Bellerín, Kounde (Eric 68′), Alonso, Balde; Kessie, Busquets (Ferran 59′), De Jong; Dembélé (Fati 68′), Lewandowski (Torre 82′), Pedri (Raphinha 59′)
Goals: None
bavaria: Ulrich; Mazraoui (Stanisic 79′), Upamecano (Pavard 63′), De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka (Sabitzer 46′); Gnabry, Musiala (Gravenberch 67′), Mané; Choupo-Moting (Müller 63′)
Goals: Mané (10′), Choupo-Moting (31′), Pavard (90+5′)
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