CL | 1/4 Final: FC Barcelona - FC Bayern Munich 2-8

[FC B]

SPORT: Setien considers returning to 4-4-2 with Busquets, Sergi Roberto, De Jong and Arturo Vidal. Messi-Surez, in point. Griezmann, substitute..

Looks like a diamond formation with Vidal may actually end up happening. SPORT got the line up right days before the Napoli match too.


https://twitter.com/albert_roge/status/1292948748868427778?s=21

Would be a solid choice since Rakitic and Griezmann are utterly useless against such opposition. Not happy of Busquets starting though, FdJ should've played in his position for a long time by now.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Better than going with 3 man midfield of Vidal-Busi-Rakitic. That would be dumb as fuck.

True, this midfield is no good versus any top team. LaLiga minions probably FINE.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Would be a solid choice since Rakitic and Griezmann are uterly useless against such opposition. Not happy of Busquets starting though, FdJ should've played in his position for a long time by now.

Yeah, you are right, Busi is a liability, but less of a liability than Raki(I trust Busi more under pressure). We need to get rid of both. We just have no better option, other than throwing Puig to the wolves.

 

[Neymessi]

Most successive home games without defeat


35* Barcelona (18/09/2013 -)
29 Bayern Munchen (04/03/1998 - 02/04/2002)
24 Arsenal (14/09/2004 - 15/04/2009)
23 Juventus (02/10/2013 - 13/02/2018)
23 Manchester United (27/09/2005 - 03/11/2009)

Well, this is just a useless statistic and a mere coincidence.

Thanks for your insight and welcome! I'm glad to meet a Bayern fan who is not oozing with arrogance! Haha.

I think you're right that the one-match dynamic makes it less certain for Bayern; I for one am very glad we do not have to play in the Allianz. That said, I still think Bayern is favourite. Your squad is more complete, and plays much more like a 'team', than ours. Our fate will basically be decided by Messi and whether he has a great match. On your end, even if Lewa has a bad match, there are a couple of other players who can make it up. I'm afraid that is not the case for us.

I am yet to see an arrogant Bayern fan for this match. Went to their forum, most of them are like calm and in a serious mood for this. But the reason for that is they are very detached from the ground reality of how bad we are, we know that better than them.

To the outsiders, unless we are shit in the big matches no one really notices. Even when Rakitic used to be super shit seasons ago outsiders used to have a positive impression of him, which should have been a great chance for us to sell him at a decent amount. And in the last few seasons we should have been nowhere near to be CL favs yet odds websites used to show us close to the top. It's only now that they have realized how shit we are and finally there is a massive difference in the odds between us and Bayern.

 

[serghei]

Well, this is just a useless statistic and a mere coincidence.



I am yet to see an arrogant Bayern fan for this match. Went to their forum, most of them are like calm and in a serious mood for this. But the reason for that is they are very detached from the ground reality of how bad we are, we know that better than them.

To the outsiders, unless we are shit in the big matches no one really notices. Even when Rakitic used to be super shit seasons ago outsiders used to have a positive impression of him, which should have been a great chance for us to sell him at a decent amount. And in the last few seasons we should have been nowhere near to be CL favs yet odds websites used to show us close to the top. It's only now that they have realized how shit we are and finally there is a massive difference in the odds between us and Bayern.

It's the same with us regarding other teams, thing is you don't have time to watch many teams a lot other than Barca, so every evaluation you have regarding other teams, and even other players is superficial.

 

[kollegah]

Easy win for Barca, I expect at win by a 2 goal margin.

 

[gasgas]

I propose

...................mats
Semedo...pique...lenglet...alba
.....Roberto..busi..de jong
...................puig
.............messi..suarez

 

[Potroh]

I propose

...................mats
Semedo...pique...lenglet...alba
.....Roberto..busi..de jong
...................puig
.............messi..suarez

I agree with your proposal but there's no way Setien will leave out Vidal for this crucial game.
I'd most definitely play Puig, who is the sole midfielder with some liveliness, but the game probably will not happen without Griezmann, thus your wise proposal becomes one of the least possible variations...

 

[JamDav1982]

Go full shit the bed mode...

MATS
Roberto Pique Lenglet Firpo
Busi Vidal
FDJ
Semedo Messi Alba


Vidal mark Muller.
FDJ go up against Thiago
Semedo go up against Davies
Alba V Kimmich

Play for 0-0.

 

[serghei]

Go full shit the bed mode...

MATS
Roberto Pique Lenglet Firpo
Busi Vidal
FDJ
Semedo Messi Alba


Vidal mark Muller.
FDJ go up against Thiago
Semedo go up against Davies
Alba V Kimmich

Play for 0-0.

Mission failed after 15 mins.

 

[JamDav1982]

Mission failed after 15 mins.

Indeed. Semedo makes it 1-0 14th min.

 

[malvolio]

Go full shit the bed mode...

MATS
Roberto Pique Lenglet Firpo
Busi Vidal
FDJ
Semedo Messi Alba


Vidal mark Muller.
FDJ go up against Thiago
Semedo go up against Davies
Alba V Kimmich

Play for 0-0.

Griezmann instead of Firpo, since all he is praised these days is defensive contribution.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Hey,

I am a bayern fan from Germany and as there have been barca fans in our German forum, I would like to tell you what I think about the upcoming match if you are interested.

First of all, I can assert that every Bayern fan I talked to does NOT believe that this is gonna be an easy match for us. I would still say that this is a 50/50 match, especially as it is only one leg. I even have a feeling that you are going through simply due to Messi and I still worry about Suarez a lot. Even though he did not perform the way he is actually able to, in one match everything is possible and he still has the class in himself. Last year we dropped out against Liverpool and we played absolutely horribly under Kovac. Yet we managed to play 0-0 at Anfield and with a bit of luck, we might have won the game - simply because in one game everything is possible.

I expect the main duels to be Davies against Messi and our midflied against yours. Davies had an absolutely outstanding season. Nevertheless, he also had games where he was struggling a bit against quick players just like Diaby from Leverkusen in the cup final. The way he plays as left back is extremly offensive. That might be a real chance for us as Messi is not really defending at the box for you but on the other hand there might be a lot of space for Messi in case that Davies does not get back in time. Messi will surely use that space a lot more clever than any other player before and this might become a huge problem for Bayern.
It is a huge loss for Bayern that Pavard is out against you. Might sound a bit weird as he is not a spectecular player but due to his injury Kimmich cannot play as CDM. With Kimmich and Thiago we were a lot more dominant in my opinion even though we did not lose a single match with Kimmich and Goretzka when Thiago was injured before corona. Goretzka is not the kind of possession player I would have liked to have in midfield against you to really hold possession and create chances. Vidal will also be extremly motivated against his former club - I remember him playing for us against his former club Juve in 2016 and he was probably the best player in both legs. He has this mentalaty to play a lot better just because it is a big game.
One problem we also have is Coman. He did not manage to do anything against Liverpool last year against Atletico in 2016 and so on. In big games against great defenders like Robertson or Felipe Luis he hardly ever manages to get past them as he always does the same: Put the ball forward and run. Semedo and Alba might defend him just as well - as I heard Semedo played really well against Napoli.

Apaprt from those player duels I would say that our team simply plays better together at the moment. Nevertheless, with a lead for you it would definitely be very unpleasant for us.

Anyway, I hope it is gonna be a great match and that no one is gonna get injured by friday. So fair play!

Hi bro ich bin auch auch aus Deutschland

 

[Messi983]

Hey,

I am a bayern fan from Germany and as there have been barca fans in our German forum, I would like to tell you what I think about the upcoming match if you are interested.

First of all, I can assert that every Bayern fan I talked to does NOT believe that this is gonna be an easy match for us. I would still say that this is a 50/50 match, especially as it is only one leg. I even have a feeling that you are going through simply due to Messi and I still worry about Suarez a lot. Even though he did not perform the way he is actually able to, in one match everything is possible and he still has the class in himself. Last year we dropped out against Liverpool and we played absolutely horribly under Kovac. Yet we managed to play 0-0 at Anfield and with a bit of luck, we might have won the game - simply because in one game everything is possible.

I expect the main duels to be Davies against Messi and our midflied against yours. Davies had an absolutely outstanding season. Nevertheless, he also had games where he was struggling a bit against quick players just like Diaby from Leverkusen in the cup final. The way he plays as left back is extremly offensive. That might be a real chance for us as Messi is not really defending at the box for you but on the other hand there might be a lot of space for Messi in case that Davies does not get back in time. Messi will surely use that space a lot more clever than any other player before and this might become a huge problem for Bayern.
It is a huge loss for Bayern that Pavard is out against you. Might sound a bit weird as he is not a spectecular player but due to his injury Kimmich cannot play as CDM. With Kimmich and Thiago we were a lot more dominant in my opinion even though we did not lose a single match with Kimmich and Goretzka when Thiago was injured before corona. Goretzka is not the kind of possession player I would have liked to have in midfield against you to really hold possession and create chances. Vidal will also be extremly motivated against his former club - I remember him playing for us against his former club Juve in 2016 and he was probably the best player in both legs. He has this mentalaty to play a lot better just because it is a big game.
One problem we also have is Coman. He did not manage to do anything against Liverpool last year against Atletico in 2016 and so on. In big games against great defenders like Robertson or Felipe Luis he hardly ever manages to get past them as he always does the same: Put the ball forward and run. Semedo and Alba might defend him just as well - as I heard Semedo played really well against Napoli.

Apaprt from those player duels I would say that our team simply plays better together at the moment. Nevertheless, with a lead for you it would definitely be very unpleasant for us.

Anyway, I hope it is gonna be a great match and that no one is gonna get injured by friday. So fair play!

Welcome.

Good first post. I always appreciate input from visiting fans who see things from a different perspective than us who watch Barca in every game. Hope you'll stay around and post after the game as well regardless of the result.

I don't expect us to get crushed by 3+ goals (could obviously happen though) but I believe Bayern is a better TEAM at the moment and a slight favourite. As you've said we do have individual quality though, mainly Messi and yeah, Suarez as well. This is not a true away CL game after all where 60-70k "crazy" home fans would put pressure on us and he hasn't score in those games for ages. We're playing on a neutral ground with no fans and we just don't know how both teams will react. Suarez could be sh** for 90 minutes and kill every attacking move but he's still capable of scoring a goal or two out of nothing. It's just who he is. I don't expect him to do that but stranger things have happened and I'd be very happy if he'd prove me and his other doubters wrong.

I do agree that Davies vs Messi will be important but on the other hand I wouldn't be surprised if there wouldn't be much direct duels between them. I expect us to use Sergi Roberto as a RM to help out Semedo limiting Davies's offensive qualities (now if they can/will do that is another question) and free up Messi to do his magic. I expect him to move more centrally this game to help us keep possesion as I don't believe Setien was really happy with Napoli dominating us in that department so in the end we could end up playing a 4-5-1.

Vidal's role could also be crucial. I'd prefer him to be an impact sub in 2nd half but he's expected to start (moreso after he didn't play vs Napoli) as a LW (on paper) but move around a lot and if I'd have to guess I'd say he's the most likely to score besides Messi. He'll surely be extra motivated against his former team but I just hope he'll keep his nerves under control and won't get a YC for some stupid foul in the first 15-20 minutes and then we'll just wait for that second yellow as long as he'll be on the field..

First goal will be crucial imo. If Bayern scores first and early things could turn out ugly. This team is just not mentally strong enough to overturn important games against better opponents and if we'd go all out attacking too soon we'd be killed on the breaks. If we somehow manage to get into lead then I hope we'll continue to attack/look for 2nd goal sensibly and not just try to defend for the rest of the game. Unless we'd score really late in the game (80+ minute) but I don't expect we'll need to wait for goals on either side for so long.

 

[Total-Football]

We absolutely need to go full Valverde there.. Throw 4 4 2 and hope the players pull something out of their ass.