13 months after Bayern’s brilliant 8: 2 against Barça in the final tournament of the Champions League, things are less spectacular this time. Without Lionel Messi, the Catalans are not just lacking in creativity. The people of Munich mercilessly exploit the amazing class difference.
Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski have again become the horror of FC Barcelona, who without soccer magician Lionel Messi no longer fights with FC Bayern in the title contenders class in Europe. 13 months after his double in the furious 8: 2 spectacle at the final tournament in Lisbon, Müller initiated the clear 3: 0 (1: 0) of the German record champions at Camp Nou on Tuesday one day after his 32nd birthday. “If you win 3-0 here at the start, that’s a very important signal”said Müller on Amazon Prime Video.
After Müller’s deflected shot from distance, against the national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen in the Barça goal (34th), striker Lewandowski dusted twice after shots from the post by youngster Jamal Musiala (56th) and Serge Gnabry (85th). “Bayern Munich played brilliantly tonight”said the former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge at the TV broadcaster Bild.
Müller’s seventh goal in the sixth CL game
The team got “made the first big step”, let’s get started “but from the knockout round”. Müller celebrated his seventh goal in the sixth premier class game against the highly indebted FC Barcelona, who appeared frighteningly discouraged and uninspired in front of 40,000 spectators in front of 40,000 spectators without the football art of the world star Messi, who had moved on to Paris Saint-Germain after 21 years. The great Barça is on the ground in Europe. “You almost have to say that Barcelona were still well served with the 3-0″said Rummenigge.
In their first European outing under new coach Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern immediately laid the foundation for advancing in Group E with their 18th opening win in a row in the premier class, with Benfica Lisbon and Dynamo Kiev as further opponents.
Bayern dominated, Barça disappointed
Nagelsmann stood on the edge of the field in a simple polo shirt and not in a fine thread – adjusted to the still hot and humid temperatures in the evening. He saw a cautious sampling phase in both teams at the beginning. The German champions had a promising opportunity in their white away jerseys after just under ten minutes, but Leroy Sané shot a first warning free kick into the wall.
“We are all well advised not to concern ourselves with the past now”, said Bayern boss Oliver Kahn immediately before the game on Amazon Prime Video and warned that at Barça “some want to show that things are going very, very well even without Messi”. The Catalans did not succeed in this. The only thing that was spectacular at first was how unspectacular the game began. Bayern controlled the action, Barcelona completely lacked the elements of surprise.
Müller approaches 50th premier class goal
A year ago it was already 4: 1 after 31 minutes, this time it took a little longer before Müller struck. Sané failed on the well-parried Ter Stegen (19th), Musiala was blocked (27th). The 18-year-old was in the starting eleven for the ailing Gnabry and tried a lot, as requested by Nagelsmann (“Should show what it’s made of and not feel a lot of pressure”), but did not finish his solo runs, at least in the first half. After 70 minutes Gnabry came on for Musiala.
Müller tried it from afar, Eric Garcia falsified as unfortunate as it was untenable – and Müller celebrated his 49th goal in the 125th Champions League game. Overall, the host’s performance was disappointing. They had their best chance with a dormant ball.
Whistles in Camp Nou
After a free kick from Memphis Depay, who was still the most creative in the once proud and feared offensive, Ronald Araujo headed over the goal (28th). Barcelona appeared surprisingly upright and colorless and later even had to put up with subtle whistles from their own fans at Camp Nou.
The class difference continued even after the change of sides. Ter Stegen saved against Sané with a strong foot defense (52nd), against Lewandowski’s defeat after Musiala’s post shot he had no chance. While Manuel Neuer was almost unemployed in Bayern’s goal, his opponent in the German national team became the hosts’ best player. Ter Stegen prevented a bigger defeat – but his front men could not find a way to the goal.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
