Match in a sentence
Bayern Munich are one step closer to a second consecutive Champions League final, after producing a fantastic performance, which saw them defeat Barcelona at the Allianz Arena.
Analysis
Robben and Ribery tracked the runs of Dani Alves and Alba, which prevented the surging fullbacks from creating overloads with Sanchez and Pedro. The manner in which Bayern handled the midfield was rather impressive; prior to the match many questioned whether Gomez would be able to replicate Manzukic’s duties, but he did so willingly. Gomez dropped deeper to press Busquets, when Muller was unable to, and it disrupted the rhythm of the midfield. Muller and Gomez got close to Busquets constantly, and they stayed tight when Bayern didn’t have the ball, creating a 4-4-2.
Iniesta was hounded by Martinez, prohibiting the Spaniard from gliding forward. Martinez and Schweinsteiger were fantastic on the night, pushing the Barcelona midfield deeper, and despite dominating possession- it was the areas they held the ball in, and their inability to penetrate that mattered.
Two hours prior to kickoff, Barcelona released a statement declaring Messi fit to play. Unfortunately, it was evident that Messi was nowhere close to 100%, as he struggled throughout the entire match. The Argentine found himself dropping deep into the midfield to receive the ball, conceding possession at will, and instead of shrugging off defenders with his pace, he opted to make sideways passes. Messi didn’t look confident to take players on at full speed, in fear of causing more damage to his hamstring – which meant he had minimal influence on the match.
Pedro and Sanchez were isolated on the flanks, so Pedro found himself dropping deep centrally to receive the ball. This led to Sanchez and Pedro swapping flanks, and Messi drifting to the right, which had minimal effect on the match. Alves had no player to link with going forward, and he often found himself out of position when Bayern launched their counter attacks.
“The players have proven time and again that we have no B team, only an A team.” – Jupp Heynckes prior to the match
The loss to Chelsea last season was heartbreaking for Munich players and fans, but they’re 90 minutes away from a trip to Wembley where they’ll be favourites to avenge that loss. Tonight was potentially the start of a new era – how fitting that Bayern Munich saved it for a monumental European night, months before former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola takes charge of the Bavarian side.
“I am happy about the result, but I am not getting carried away. I know we still face 90 very difficult minutes in Spain. We will enjoy what happened tonight, but nothing more. It is important to stick to your tactical guidelines against Barcelona and that is what makes my team stand out this year.” – Heynckes post-match
Three Stars
Thomas Muller
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Arjen Robben
Stats
Stats via @InfostradaLive
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