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The Independent Observer > Sports > Uefa: Barcelona v Bayern tonight

Uefa: Barcelona v Bayern tonight

There is a heavyweight contest in the quarterfinals of the Uefa Champions League as the only two previous winners left in this season’s competition, Barcelona and Bayern München, meet at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

The teams, both in the Uefa Champions League quarterfinals for a record 18th time, have contested three previous knockout ties in the competition, the victors in each instance going on to lift the trophy.

Bayern come into this tie having won all eight matches in this season’s competition – the only side to still have a perfect record – including an emphatic victory against Chelsea in the round of 16, when Barcelona saw off a dogged Napoli thanks to a second-leg success at the Camp Nou.

Previous Meetings

The teams have met in 10 previous matches, the last eight in the Uefa Champions League, and all but two in the knockout stages.

The outcome of those three previous Uefa Champions League ties is two Barcelona wins to one for Bayern. Barça came out on top in the 2014/15 semifinals, going through 5-2 on aggregate (3-0 h, 2-3 a) with Lionel Messi scoring twice in the first leg; Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller were on target in Bayern’s second-leg consolation victory.

Bayern overwhelmed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their 2012/13 semifinal encounter. Müller scored twice in Munich and once in a 3-0 away success in Barcelona, where Gerard Piqué added an own goal.

Barcelona got the better of Bayern in the 2008/09 quarterfinals. Messi also scored twice in that tie as they won the first leg 4-0 at the Camp Nou before a 1-1 draw back in Munich.

The teams were paired together in the 1998/99 Uefa Champions League group stage, Bayern winning 1-0 in Munich and 2-1 at the Camp Nou, where they returned for that season’s final loss to Manchester United FC.

Bayern came out 4-3 aggregate winners in the 1995/96 Uefa Cup semifinal; Otto Rehhagel’s side drew 2-2 in Germany before prevailing 2-1 away to a Barcelona outfit that included goalkeeper Carles Busquets, father of Sergio.

In all four of those previous knockout contests, the winners of the Barcelona-Bayern tie went on to win the trophy.

Form Guide

Barcelona

Barcelona’s record in European Cup quarterfinals is W15 L6, with four of those defeats coming in the past six ties:

2018/19 Manchester United W 4-0 (1-0 a, 3-0 h)

2017/18 Roma L 4-4 away goals (4-1 h, 0-3 a)

2016/17 Juventus L 0-3 (0-3 a, 0-0 h)

2015/16 Atlético Madrid L 2-3 (2-1 h, 0-2 a)

2014/15 Paris Saint-Germain W 5-1 (3-1 a, 2-0 h)

2013/14 Atlético Madrid L 1-2 (1-1 h, 0-1 a)

2012/13 Paris Saint-Germain W 3-3, away goals (2-2 a, 1-1 h)

2011/12 AC Milan W 3-1 (0-0 a, 3-1 h)

2010/11 Shakhtar Donetsk W 6-1 (5-1 h, 1-0 a)

2009/10 Arsenal W 6-3 (2-2 a, 4-1 h)

2008/09 Bayern München W 5-1 (4-0 h, 1-1 a)

2007/08 Schalke W 2-0 (1-0 a, 1-0 h)

2005/06 Benfica W 2-0 (0-0 a, 2-0 h)

2002/03 Juventus L 2-3 (1-1 a, 1-2 h aet)

2001/02 Panathinaikos W 3-2 (0-1 a, 3-1 h)

1999/00 Chelsea W 6-4 (1-3 a, 5-1 h aet)

1994/95 Paris Saint-Germain L 2-3 (1-1 h, 1-2 a)

1985/86 Juventus W 2-1 (1-0 h, 1-1 a)

1974/75 Åtvidaberg W 5-0 (2-0 h, 3-0 a)

1960/61 Spartak Hradec Králové W 5-1 (4-0 h, 1-1 a)

1959/60 Wolverhampton Wanderers W 9-2 (4-0 h, 5-2 a)

This is Barcelona’s 13th successive Uefa Champions League quarterfinal, a competition record. They last failed to reach the last eight in 2006/07.

This season Barcelona finished with 14 points in Group F, four ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund. They then drew 1-1 at Napoli in the first leg of their last-16 tie before booking their place in the last four with a 3-1 win in the Camp Nou return on 8 August.

Ansu Fati’s winner at Inter on Matchday 6 made him the youngest goalscorer in Uefa Champions League history, aged 17 years 40 days. He eclipsed the previous record, which had stood since 1 October 1997, set by Olympiacos’s Peter Ofori-Quaye (17 years 195 days).

This is Barcelona’s 24th Uefa Champions League campaign, a competition record they share with Real Madrid.

They have now reached the round of 16 or better for the last 16 seasons, winning their group every year from 2007/08 onwards. They are unbeaten in their last three group stage campaigns, and have come through their section undefeated a record 13 times.

In 2018/19, Barcelona eased past Lyon in the last 16 (0-0 a, 5-1 h) and Manchester United in the quarterfinals (1-0 a, 3-0 h) before a 3-0 first-leg victory against Liverpool in the last four, only for the English club to turn the tables in stunning style at Anfield (0-4).

The Blaugrana have lost only two of their last 31 Uefa Champions League fixtures (W19 D10).

The Catalan club are unbeaten in their last six matches against German clubs (W4 D2), since their second-leg defeat at Bayern in the 2015 semifinal. They drew 0-0 at Dortmund on Matchday 1 this season before a 3-1 home success.

Barcelona have won only two of their last eight matches against Bundesliga opposition outside of Spain (D4 L2).

Barcelona have won 14 of their 19 previous two-legged ties with German teams, most recently that 2015 defeat of Bayern when they went on to win their fifth, and most recent, European Cup.

The Spanish club also prevailed in their sole previous match against a German club on neutral territory, overcoming Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-3 after extra time in the 1979 European Cup Winners’ Cup final in Basle.

Barcelona’s last trip to Portugal brought a 1-0 success at Sporting CP in the 2017/18 group stage. Their record in Portugal is W5 D3 L4, and they have won their last three matches in Lisbon, where their overall record is W3 D3 L2.

They have won one and drawn one at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, most recently recording a 2-0 victory at Benfica in the 2012/13 Uefa Champions League group stage.

Barcelona’s record in six Uefa penalty shoot-outs is W5 L1:

5-4 v AZ Alkmaar, 1977/78 Uefa Cup second round

3-1 v Ipswich Town, 1977/78 Uefa Cup third round

4-1 v Anderlecht, 1978/79 European Cup Winners’ Cup second round

5-4 v IFK Göteborg, 1985/86 European Champion Clubs’ Cup semifinal

0-2 v Steaua Bucuresti, 1985/86 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final

5-4 v Lech Poznan, 1988/89 European Cup Winners’ Cup second round

Bayern

• Bayern’s European Cup quarterfinal record is W19 L10:

2017/18 Sevilla W 2-1 (2-1 a, 0-0 h)

2016/17 Real Madrid L 3-6 (1-2 h, 2-4 a aet)

2015/16 Benfica W 3-2 (1-0 h, 2-2 a)

2014/15 Porto W 7-4 (1-3 a, 6-1 h)

2013/14 Manchester United W 4-2 (1-1 a, 3-1 h)

2012/13 Juventus W 4-0 (2-0 h, 2-0 a)

2011/12 Marseille W 4-0 (2-0 a, 2-0 h)

2009/10 Manchester United W 4-4, away goals (2-1 h, 2-3 a)

2008/09 Barcelona L 1-5 (0-4 a, 1-1 h)

2006/07 AC Milan L 2-4 (2-2 a, 0-2 h)

2004/05 Chelsea L 5-6 (2-4 a, 3-2 h)

2001/02 Real Madrid L 2-3 (2-1 h, 0-2 a)

2000/01 Manchester United W 3-1 (1-0 a, 2-1 h)

1999/00 Porto W 3-2 (1-1 a, 2-1 h)

1998/99 Kaiserslautern W 6-0 (2-0 h, 4-0 a)

1997/98 Borussia Dortmund L 0-1 (0-0 h, 0-1 a)

1994/95 IFK Göteborg W 2-2 away goals (0-0 h, 2-2 a)

1990/91 Porto W 3-1 (1-1 h, 2-0 a)

1989/90 PSV Eindhoven W 3-1 (2-1 h, 1-0 a)

1987/88 Real Madrid L 3-4 (3-2 h, 0-2 a)

1986/87 Anderlecht W 7-2 (5-0 h, 2-2 a)

1985/86 Anderlecht L 2-3 (2-1 h, 0-2 a)

1981/82 Universitatea Craiova W 3-1 (2-0 a, 1-1 h)

1980/81 Baník Ostrava W 6-2 (2-0 h, 4-2 a)

1976/77 Dynamo Kyiv L 1-2 (1-0 h, 0-2 a)

1975/76 Benfica W 5-1 (0-0 a, 5-1 h)

1974/75 Ararat Yerevan W 2-1 (2-0 h, 0-1 a)

1973/74 CSKA Sofia W 5-3 (4-1 h, 1-2 a)

1972/73 Ajax L 2-5 (0-4 a, 2-1 h)

Last season’s defeat by Liverpool in the round of 16 (0-0 a, 1-3 h) ended Bayern’s run of seven successive quarterfinals.

Bayern became only the seventh team – and first from Germany – to win all six games in the Uefa Champions League group stage this season, recording big wins at Tottenham (7-2) – a game in which Serge Gnabry scored four goals – and Crvena zvezda (6-0).

Bayern were the only side to collect maximum points in this season’s group stage, and finished as top scorers with 24 goals – one short of Paris Saint-Germain’s competition record, set in 2017/18.

The German champions turned on the style in the round of 16 with an emphatic victory against Chelsea, winning 3-0 in London and 4-1 in Munich.

With 31 goals this term, Bayern need two more to equal their club record total in a Uefa Champions League campaign, set in 2014/15.

Robert Lewandowski scored in Bayern’s first five group games and has found the net in all seven of his Uefa Champions League appearances in 2019/20. He is the top scorer in this season’s competition with 13 goals, including four in the 6-0 win at Crvena zvezda on Matchday 5 – at 16 minutes the fastest quadruple in Uefa Champions

League history. The record individual goal tally for a single Uefa Champions League campaign is Cristiano Ronaldo’s 17 for Real Madrid in 2013/14.

Lewandowski needs one more goal to reach 50 in the Uefa Champions League with Bayern. The Polish striker has scored 66 in the competition in total, his double last time out against Chelsea enabling him to overtake Karim Benzema and become the fourth most successful scorer in the competition’s history, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (130 goals), Lionel Messi (115) and Raúl González (71).

This is Bayern’s 23rd Uefa Champions League campaign, fewer only than Barcelona and Real Madrid (both 24).

They have now won their section 16 times.

Champions of Germany for a record 30th time in 2019/20 – with a landmark eighth successive Bundesliga title – Bayern had reached the Uefa Champions League quarterfinals or better in seven successive campaigns before losing to Liverpool last season.

Bayern’s record in knockout ties against Spanish sides is W10 L11; they lost to Real Madrid (1-2 h, 2-2 a) in the 2017/18 Uefa Champions League semifinals having overcome Sevilla in the previous round. That made it five defeats in their last six knockout ties with Liga teams.

A 2-1 win at Sevilla in the 2017/18 quarterfinal first leg is Bayern’s sole success in their last six matches against Spanish clubs (D2 L3).

Bayern have twice played ties against Spanish clubs on neutral territory and won both; they beat Valencia on penalties in the 2001 Uefa Champions League final in Milan and Atlético de Madrid after a replay in the 1974 European Cup final in Brussels.

Bayern are unbeaten in their last 13 European games outside Munich (W10 D3), scoring at least two goals in all but the goalless draw at Liverpool in last season’s round of 16 first leg. Before winning 2-0 at Benfica on Matchday 1 of 2018/19 the Munich club had not kept a clean sheet on their Uefa Champions League travels in 14 matches; they have now managed five in the last eight.

That win at Benfica in September 2018 made Bayern’s record in Portugal W6 D7 L1. In Lisbon it is W5 D3; they have won one and drawn one of their two matches at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

Bayern’s record in six Uefa penalty shoot-outs is W5 L1:

4-3 v Åtvidaberg, 1973/74 European Champion Clubs’ Cup first round

9-8 v PAOK, 1983/84 Uefa Cup second round

5-4 v Valencia, 2000/01 Uefa Champions League final

3-1 v Real Madrid, 2011/12 Uefa Champions League semifinal

3-4 v Chelsea, 2011/12 Uefa Champions League final

5-4 v Chelsea, 2013 Uefa Super Cup

Links and Trivia

This is Bayern’s 250th Uefa Champions League match, group stage to final. It is Barcelona’s 257th.

Both Barça and Bayern have won the European Cup on five occasions. None of the other six clubs remaining in the competition have ever lifted the trophy.

Each of the two clubs changed their coach in mid-campaign, Hans-Dieter Flick replacing Niko Kovac in November and Quique Setién coming in for Ernesto Valverde in February.

Philippe Coutinho is on loan at Bayern from Barcelona, who he joined from Liverpool in January 2018 having had an earlier loan spell with Espanyol in 2012 when an Internazionale player. The Brazilian has scored 13 goals in 52 Liga appearance for Barcelona.

Arturo Vidal made 79 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern, scoring 14 times, between 2015 and 2018, when he left for Barcelona.

Thiago Alcántara scored seven goals in 68 Liga games for Barcelona between 2009 and 2013 having come through the club’s youth ranks.

• Have also played in Spain:

Lucas Hernández (Atlético de Madrid 2014–19)

Javi Martínez (Athletic Club 2006–12)

Álvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad: 2013–18, Real Madrid: 2018–20)

With Athletic Club, Javi Martínez faced Barcelona 15 times but was never on the winning team, enduring Copa del Rey final defeats in 2009 and 2012.

• Have also played in Germany: Marc-André ter Stegen (Borussia Mönchengladbach 2010–14)

Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 2007–10) Ousmane Dembélé (Borussia Dortmund 2016/17)

Ter Stegen played against Bayern seven times for Mönchengladbach. His record was W2 D1 L4 with 17 goals conceded and only two clean sheets.

• Have played together:

Antoine Griezmann & Lucas Hernández (Atlético de Madrid 2014–19)

Samuel Umtiti & Corentin Tolisso (Lyon 2014–16)

Arturo Vidal & Kingsley Coman (Juventus 2014–15)

Ivan Rakitic & Manuel Neuer (Schalke 2007–10)

• International teammates:

Marc-André ter Stegen & Manuel Neuer, Niklas Süle, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry (Germany)

Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Sergio Busquets & Thiago Alcántara (Spain)

Ivan Rakitic & Ivan Perišic (Croatia)

Clément Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Ousmane Dembélé, Antoine Griezmann & Lucas Hernández, Benjamin Pavard, Corentin Tolisso, Kingsley Coman (France)

Arthur & Philippe Coutinho (Brazil)

Lucas, Griezmann, Umtiti, Tolisso, Benjamin Pavard and Dembélé were all members of France’s 2018 victorious Fifa World Cup squad. All bar Dembélé featured in the final, defeating a Croatia side that included Rakitic and Ivan Perišic 4-2. Griezmann and Perišic both scored in the game in Moscow.

Neuer and Ter Stegen are rivals for Germany’s No 1 spot.

 

Latest News

Barcelona

Barça have won five of their last six games in all competitions (L1), scoring 15 goals and conceding only four. A 2-1 Liga loss at home to Osasuna on 16 July is their only defeat in their last 13 games in all competitions (W9 D3).

Barcelona finished second in the 2019/20 Liga, five points behind Real Madrid, having picked up 24 points from their last 11 matches following the resumption of the Spanish season on 13 June. Barça had led the standings by two points prior to the pause in the season.

Lionel Messi finished as the Liga’s top scorer for the seventh time – and the fourth year in a row – with 25 goals. He also supplied 21 assists.

Having reached the last six Copa del Rey finals and won four of them, Barcelona were eliminated from this season’s competition at the quarterfinal stage, going down 1-0 at Athletic Club on 6 February.

Luis Suárez, who was out between the 3-2 defeat by Atlético Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal on 9 January and 13 June having undergone an operation on his knee, finished the Liga season by scoring five times in seven matches to make it 16 goals in total.

Ousmane Dembélé has been out since sustaining a thigh injury on Matchday 5.

Samuel Umtiti, whose most recent appearance came in the 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on 27 June, is carrying a knee injury.

Arthur has agreed a deal to join Juventus at the end of the season, while Miralem Pjanic will move in the opposite direction.

Barcelona completed moves for Francisco Trincão (Braga) and Matheus Fernandes (Palmeiras) in January; both players joined their new club on 1 July.

Bayern

Thomas Müller has played 112 matches in the Uefa Champions League, group stage to final, equalling Philipp Lahm’s German record in this competition in the second leg against Chelsea.

Since football in Germany resumed in mid-May, Bayern have won all 12 competitive games.

In 2020 Bayern have prevailed in 22 of their 23 matches. They are on a run of 18 successive competitive wins, a new German record.

Robert Lewandowski – the Bundesliga’s top scorer for the fifth time with 34 goals – has hit 53 goals in 44 competitive Bayern games in 2019/20.

On 9 August Bayern flew to Portugal for a short training camp in Lagos before heading to Lisbon.

Kingsley Coman, who missed the second leg against Chelsea due to muscular problems, is back in training.

On 31 July Niklas Süle, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on 19 October, returned in a friendly against Marseille as a substitute; he also came on in the second leg against Chelsea.

Benjamin Pavard has been out since suffering a foot injury in training on 26 July

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