Barcelona Vs Bayern Munich
Barcelona Vs Bayern Munich Wednesday 14 September, 2021 – 20:00 (BST)
UEFA Champions League
Pick: Bayern Munich Win
Odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: WilliamHill
(All betting odds shown were correct at time of writing: 12 September 2021)
Preview: For the first time since their memorable meeting in Lisbon for the 2019-20 Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona and Bayern Munich renew their rivalry. They do so at Camp Nou and with the hosts looking to avoid a third successive European home defeat.
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Table of Contents
Barcelona – Third straight Camp Nou loss beckons?
Five-time European champions Barcelona make a belated return to competitive action following the postponement of their weekend La Liga fixture against Sevilla. Ronald Koeman’s side haven’t been seen since before the international break, when a 2-1 success at Camp Nou over Getafe earned them their second win of the season to leave them on seven points out of nine in the Spanish top-flight standings.
In theory, the hosts should boast a slight fitness edge. Whether this is sufficient enough to bridge a six-goal deficit from when these sides clashed, in that unforgettable Champions League semi-final from two seasons ago, seems doubtful. They are a greater than 2/1 chance to enact some faint form of revenge for the 8-2 scoreline inflicted upon them by Bayern in Lisbon in 2019/20.
The Camp Nou factor cannot be entirely ignored, however. Barcelona won each of the last four Champions League home matches against German opposition, scoring 12 and conceding two. Moreover, they went an incredible 38 consecutive home games without incurring a single loss (W34 D4) before suffering back-to-back three-goal margin defeats last season at the hands of Juventus and PSG.
Bayern Munich – 2019-20 champs already in ominous form?
There is a new face prowling the Bayern Munich technical area. Former RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann was the man chosen to succeed the outgoing Hansi Flick and wasted little time building on the fine work of his predecessor. Saturday’s 4-1 victory away to RB Leipzig was an early signal of their intent for the season ahead, thrashing the second best team in Germany from last season.
Nagelsmann has the weight of enormous expectations bearing down on him though. For Bayern have reached the quarter-finals or better in nine of the past ten seasons. Winning their group for the 17th occasion last time around – only Barcelona have done so more often – doing so with the best goal difference (+13) and not dropping a point until their 1-1 draw in Spain against Atletico Madrid on Matchday 6.
Their record versus Spanish opposition, however, is far less glamorous. Although they remain unbeaten through five such encounters (W3 D2), none more ingrained in recent memory than their 8-2 triumph over Barcelona in 2020, it is one win in eight as the visiting side (D2 L5). Yet it is nearly four years since their last loss outside of Munich (W14 D4), winning all but one of the past thirteen such matches.
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Barcelona Vs Bayern Munich Betting Advice
It has been a similar start to the new season from both teams. Barcelona winning two of three La Liga games (D1) while Bayern Munich are three from four (D1) so far. However, it has been much less convincing over in Spain where Barca were made to sweat in all three encounters against Real Sociedad (4-2), Athletic Bilbao (1-1) and Getafe (1-2). Requiring some Memphis Depay magic to spare their blushes.
Barcelona Vs Bayern Munich – Key Facts:
- The clubs are meeting for the first time since Bayern Munich’s 8-2 hammering of Barcelona in the 2019-20 Champions League semi-finals.
- Both are coming into the contest in reasonable form. Barcelona remain unbeaten through three competitive fixtures this season (W2 D1), Bayern in six (W5 D1).
- Barcelona’s three La Liga games this season all featured both teams scoring, as did three of the four Bundesliga matches involving Bayern Munich in 2021-22.
With no Lionel Messi around any more, you have to wonder how often Memphis Depay is capable of digging this current version of Barcelona out of trouble. Should Bayern Munich find themselves in front and in the ascendancy at Camp Nou, it could be a long road back for the hosts who have lost each of the last two Champions League outings here by three-goal margins.
Best Betting Odds – Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Barcelona – 12/5 (Betfair)
Draw – 3/1 (BetVictor)
Bayern Munich – 11/10 (WilliamHill)
