Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich: goals from Mané, Choupo Moting and Pavard

Eliminated and killed. Once again. Late night for Barcelona, ​​who takes the field already condemned to be eliminated to collect a clear 3-0 from Bayern Munich, more and more black beast of the Catalans. The troop of Xavi never played, already regulated in the first half hour by the Germans without particular efforts thanks to the blows of Mané, Choupo-Moting and Pavard. For Barça, sentenced to relegation to the Europa League for the second consecutive year, an evening of anger and frustration also for the decisions of referee Taylor, who denies a penalty at the end of the first half. The Bavarians, on the other hand, enjoy their fifth consecutive victory and the clear path that leads them straight to the first knockout round of group C.

FROST AT CAMP NOU

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The atmosphere was modest at the Camp Nou, because while Barça is about to kick off there is still an elimination to digest and metabolize that the Spanish press bluntly dubbed a “shameful failure”. However, the Catalan fans decide to support the team by underlining the first actions with cheers and applause, after all against Bayern it is also a matter of pride. The Blaugrana have in fact returned from five knockouts in the last five clashes with the Bavarians, who have come out as winners on seven of the last eight occasions, including the humiliating 8-2 in the quarterfinals in 2020.

RETURN BLAUGRANA

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For the occasion, Xavi ranks l’once de gala with the only exception of Kessie for the bruised Gavi and Marcos Alonso diverted to the center of the defense to be paired with Koundé (with Balde on the left). In the offensive trident with Lewa and Dembélé here is Pedri, with the clear aim of surprising the Bavarians between the lines. Nagelsmann, on the other hand, relies on the De Ligt-Upamecano couple and hands over the keys to the attack to the trio Gnabry-Musiala-Mané, with Choupo-Moting as the buoy. But it is the attitude that directs the challenge from the very first minutes: on the one hand a Barça willing but disoriented and almost burdened by a destiny by now marked, so much so as to close the game with a desolating zero in the shots on goal box. On the other hand, a Bayern as usual practical and perky, who prefers to cover himself to hit the throw-in with the speed of his tips. A scheme as simple as it is effective, also thanks to the non-existent resistance of the hosts. The Bavarians just need to organize two or three restarts as they should and that’s it: at 10 ‘Mané takes care of it, who runs away centrally by burning Bellerin, at 31’ Choupo-Moting takes care of it, in both cases thanks to the surgical launches of Gnabry .

DEEP NIGHT

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In the meantime, while the Germans are close to the third goal with Musiala, no trace of the Blaugrana except for some empty play by Dembélé. The opportunity to return to the game could come at the end of the first half, when the referee Taylor whistles a penalty for a foul by De Ligt on Lewandowski, but the Var room overturns everything by unleashing the whistles and insults of the Blaugrana audience. Barça tries to shake up in the second half thanks to Balde’s good attitude on the left and Xavi’s changes, but it’s still Bayern to score with Gnabry. The Var this time gives a hand to the Catalans and cancels for a millimeter offside. It is one of the last gasps of the evening, because in the last half hour the Germans are dedicated to putting to sleep the game against a Barça that builds only half chances despite the entries of Raphinha and Ansu Fati and, as if that were not enough, also remedies the third goal in full recovery, the fault of a general sleep of the defense on which he thanks Pavard. The whistles of the Camp Nou at the end of the game are inevitable and end up raging on Xavi and company.