Barcelona vs Bayern Munich predictions, H2H and match preview for this Friday’s UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final in Lisbon. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as two European heavyweights meet.
by Mark Sochon – @marksoc1
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich Preview
It’s the glamour tie of the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final fixtures as Bayern Munich take on Barcelona for a place in the last four. For the first time in many years, Barcelona head into a UCL tie as the clear underdogs against an impressive Bayern side that many are tipping to go all the way and win the trophy.
Despite that status, it would be a huge stretch to say there is no pressure on Barça here. Their season is very much on the line having failed to win any silverware so far and the same may well go for the future of boss Quique Setien who has struggled to bring the best out of this Barcelona side since taking over from Ernesto Valverde in January.
Setien though may well relish the situation and almost all of his best moments as Betis boss came in games where his team were underdogs, most memorably winning 4-3 at Camp Nou to inflict a rare home defeat on his future employers. Bayern should at least open up the pitch unlike many of Barcelona’s LaLiga opponents but it’s questionable whether or not the Catalans will be able to cope with the dynamism of the Bundesliga champions.
Bayern looked every inch likely European champions as they swept Chelsea aside 7-1 on aggregate in the last round. They are an exciting team to watch with a blend of electric pace from the likes of Alphonso Davies and genuine quality on the ball. Meanwhile in Robert Lewandowski, they also have a red hot striker who has had an extraordinary season in this competition netting 13 goals to raise the possibility that he could eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for goals in a single UCL campaign.
As for Barcelona, well, they have Messi. It may not have been a vintage campaign for the Argentine by his freakish standards but few would argue that he is anything but the best player in the world still and if he’s in the mood on Friday night in Lisbon, this has the makings of a classic European encounter.
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich Predictions
Score Prediction: 3-1 Bayern
Messi was absolutely unplayable when these sides locked horns in the Semi-Finals 5 years ago. He’s still capable of producing moments of magic but whether he still has the energy to cover so much ground and dictate a game in quite that fashion is much more doubtful, certainly not against a team as strong as this Bayern side.
Overall there is just very little we have seen from Barcelona this season that suggests they are going to win this game and if Bayern are at or close to their best, they should win this with a bit of breathing space.
UEFA Champions League Betting Tips (18+)
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Barcelona vs Bayern Munich H2H
- The clubs have met 10 times previously in European competitions.
- Bayern have claimed 6 wins to Barcelona’s 2.
- However it was the Catalans who progressed the last time the sides met, winning 5-3 on aggregate in the UCL Semis of 2015.
- The sides also met in the 2013 Semi-Finals with Bayern convincing 7-0 aggregate winners on that occasion.
Predicted Line Ups
Barcelona Team:
Ter Stegen – Alba, Lenglet, Pique, Semedo – De Jong, Busquets, Rakitic – Griezmann, Suarez, Messi (4-3-3)
Bayern Team:
Neuer – Davies, Alaba, Boateng, Kimmich – Thiago, Goretzka – Perisic, Muller, Gnabry – Lewandowski (4-2-3-1)
We have match previews and predictions for all European games involving Spanish teams.
