Spicy reunion at Camp Nou: FC Bayern can throw its former star striker Robert Lewandowski and FC Barcelona out of the Champions League.
No mercy for Robert Lewandowski! FC Bayern and Torgarant Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting are looking forward to the explosive duel with friend “Lewy”, but the Pole cannot hope for Munich’s sympathy in the almost hopeless fight for the round of 16.
“Now,” emphasized Leon Goretzka before meeting the superstar again in Barcelona’s soccer temple Camp Nou, “we can no longer take it into account. That’s the way it is.”
It’s easy for Goretzka and Co. to talk. The German record champions have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League. FC Barcelona can even win the group on Wednesday (9:00 p.m. / DAZN), while Barca are threatened with the embarrassing end of the preliminary round.
Lewandowski, who always seeks to gild his “RL9” brand on the biggest stage, this happened for the last time in 2011 – in a Borussia Dortmund jersey.
Leon Goretzka: “He was very spoiled at Bayern”
“At Bayern he was very used to always being at least in the round of 16,” said Goretzka. But Lewandowski really wanted to move to Barcelona in the summer after eight successful years.
Should group rivals Inter Milan win the earlier game (18:45 CEST) against outsiders Viktoria Pilsen, Barca’s relegation to the second-tier Europa League would be clear even before the Bayern game.
Goretzka therefore spoke of a “special constellation” before the flight to summery Catalonia on Tuesday afternoon and expected “a super cool game”.
Choupo-Moting, who silenced the Munich nine-man debate after Lewandowski’s departure, is “definitely looking forward to seeing Lewy again. He’s a great guy and a world-class player” – but his 17 (!) goals in 15 competitive games aren’t enough .
Nevertheless: “Playing against FC Barcelona is always something special, we have to take the game 100 percent seriously,” said “Mr. Choupo”, it will be “very, very difficult because it’s their last chance…” Like a year ago, when the merciless Bayern Barca shot 3-0 into the Europa League on Matchday 5.
Lewandowski legacy at Bayern is “a bit tired”
Julian Nagelsmann left no doubt about Munich’s ambitions. “We want to finish first in the group,” he said before the “prestigious duel”. The Bayern coach suspects: “They will challenge us a lot.” Therefore, Nagelsmann plans with his best possible team.
He still has to do without Manuel Neuer, who has a shoulder injury, and the captain should return against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Thomas Müller started the two-hour flight after surviving a gastrointestinal illness, but is likely to come from the bank. Sadio Mane should rotate into the starting XI, Choupo-Moting is expected again at the front.
The Lewandowski heir was “a bit tired” after three games from the start within seven days with four goals and two assists, Nagelsmann said, but: “When he plays and scores like that, you don’t like to do without it as a coach. He does us good up there.”
What speaks for Bayern: Of 21 former Munich players who played against them in the premier class, only Lukas Podolski scored for Arsenal (two goals) and Giovane Elber for Olympique Lyon against the record champions. Lewandowski was unsuccessful in the 0: 2 in the first leg despite good chances.
“The Champions League is cruel to us, our situation is complicated,” said Barca coach Xavi. Should he be identified as the crucial problem, the club legend said he would “go home”.
The expected lineups:
FC Barcelona: ter Stegen – Sergi Roberto, Kounde, Alonso, Jordi Alba – Busquets – Gavi, Pedri – Ferran Torres, Lewandowski, Dembele. – Trainer: Xavi
FC Bayern Munich: Ulreich – Pavard, Upamecano, de Ligt, Davies – Kimmich, Goretzka – Gnabry, Musiala, Mane – Choupo-Moting. – Trainer: Nagelsmann
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)