BARCELONA lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in their second Champions League group game.
The game was a fairly tight one until the second half when Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane hit quick-fire goals to clinch a big win for the Bundesliga champions.
- RESULT: Bayern 2-0 Barcelona
- Bayern XI: Neuer, Upamecano, Pavard, Kimmich, Sane, Mane, Sabitzer, Davies, Hernandez, Muller, Musiala
- Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Araujo, Sergio, Kounde, Dembele, Pedri, Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Raphinha, Gavi, Lewandowski
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That’s all from us
We hope you enjoyed our coverage of tonight’s enthralling clash between Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
Both teams gave their all, but in the end Bayern’s clinical finishing made all the difference.
We’ll be back with more Champions League coverage tomorrow night and we hope you will tune in for that with us.
Thanks a lot and take care everyone.
Leroy Sané’s game by numbers vs. Barcelona:
91% pass accuracy
47 touches
8 touches in opp. box
6x possession won
3 duels won
2 chances created
2 shots – 1 on target
1 goal
Xavi quotes:
The Barcelona manager was pretty angry after falling to defeat against Bayern.
On Spanish TV he said: “When you don’t take your chances in Champions (League), you pay for it.
“We were the better team, had six or seven clear chances, and Bayern don’t miss theirs.
“First goal was a mistake in marking at a corner, the second we had to make a foul.
“But we have to learn to compete like Bayern do.”
Stat pack
Expected Goals: Bayern (1.58) 2-0 (1.98) Barcelona
Bayern are now unbeaten in their last 30 Champions League group stage games: 27 wins, 3 draws.
Julian Nagelsmann becomes the first manager to win his first three Champions League games against Barcelona.
Bayern have now won more Champions League games against Barcelona (9) than any other team they have faced in the competition.
Barcelona failed to score against Bayern Munich but had an xG of 2, becoming the team with the worst differential between their goals scored and expected goals in a Champions League game this season (-2).
Up next
Barcelona will travel to the San Siro to face Inter as the first of their doubleheader against the Serie A giants.
In all likelihood, these two teams are duking it out for second place in the group, and Xavi will be keen to avoid another embarrassing exit from the Champions League group stage.
The next two games will be pivotal to Group C’s final appearance before it finishes at the start of November.
Bayern will firstly host group whipping boys Viktoria Plzen before travelling to them on matchday four expecting to pick up the full six points and rack up an impressive goal difference in the process.
Noteworthy performers
Dayot Upamecano showed why is one of the most highly rated defenders out of the Bundesliga with an imperious and faultless display.
The attack really came to life in the second half, with Sane and Musiala particularly impressive after the interval.
Barcelona were good as a collective in the first half, and then worse off as a collective in the second, but Dembele looked like he could create something whenever he was on the ball.
The Blaugrana will have better days and they will learn from their experience tonight.
A tale of two halves
Barcelona looked back to their best days in the first half as they dominated the ball and had the lion’s share of the best chances.
However, a lack of ruthlessness paired with defensive heroics from Bayern kept the score level going into the interval.
It was then that Bayern finally bore their fangs, and scored twice in as many minutes.
Hernandez’s front post header and Sane’s deft finish put Bayern two goals to the good and from then on it was the German side who showed their maturity and know how to see out the game.
It was not the stroll in the park it was last year for them, but Bayern ultimately prove why they remain one of the best team’s around, while Barcelona prove they still have some way to go before they can call themselves the finished article.
FULL-TIME
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
90+3. Lewandowski denied another chance to score.
A cross is clipped into the area as Fati competes against three defenders, but somehow causes enough confusion to create a loose ball.
Lewandowski is there but Kimmich smashes the ball away before he has the chance to connect.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
89. Ferran Torres does brilliantly to retain the ball and keep a Barcelona attack alive as he goes to the byline before dropping a pass into open space on the edge of the area.
However, no one is on his wavelength and Bayern bring the ball away.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
87. Ansu Fati dribbles superbly into the penalty area but runs into traffic from his own team.
Lewandowski then takes the ball and fires a shot towards goal, but it squirms harmlessly wide of the far post.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
79. The free-kick from Alonso hits the wall, and after the ball is played back in Eric Garcia, who has just come on to replace Christensen, is flagged offside.
Sane is then replaced for Tels – who became the club’s youngest ever Bundesliga goalscorer at the weekend.
However, the ex-Man City star is livid at the decision – maybe not all is well in the Bayern camp.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
78. Lewandowski wins a free-kick on the edge of the area.
This could be a chance to get back in the game for Barcelona.
Alonso and Lewandowski standing over it.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
75. Pedri receives the ball from Dembele as the spare man on the left flank.
But Bayern shift the defence over well and force Pedri to turn the ball over.
However, it has to be said Pedri didn’t do himself any favours there with how slow he was.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
70. Sadio Mane makes way as the fourth Bayern Munich change.
A quiet night for the former Liverpool man, who will be somewhat disappointed with his performance.
Gnabry comes on for the final stretch of the game.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
68. Upamecano thwarts Barca again.
Dembele makes a dazzling run down the right flank and cuts infield past a number of Bayern defenders.
But Dembele’s attempted final pass is thumped away by Upamecano, before he intercepts another Barca attack just seconds later.
He has been a stalwart tonight.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
66. De Jong finds room in the half-space just inside the penalty area and plays a diminutive pass into Lewandowski’s path.
But his shot is weak and Neuer easily collects it.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
63. PEDRI HITS THE POST
So close for Barcelona.
Pedri jinks his way infield before a Bayern defender gets a leg on the ball, but the loose ball falls to Lewandowski on the edge of the area.
He then plays the ball into the space Pedri has now occupied and upon receiving the ball he dinks a shot over Manuel Neuer.
But it ends up hitting the post.
They’ve done everything so far except hit the back of the net.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
61. Xavi rolls the dice to try and get his team back in the game.
He brings on De Jong as Torres in favour of Gavi and Raphinha.
But either side of this change Bayern create two more chances to score, with the latter squirming just wide of the post.
Barcelona are crumbling here.
54. Barcelona are crumbling here.
Musiala and Sane run an identical line towards the penalty area before the teenagers plays the ball into Sane’s path.
He then dribbles into the area and pokes the ball past the onrushing Ter Stegen to make it 2-0 to the hosts.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
GOALLLLL
SANE DOUBLES THE LEAD
Bayern make the breakthrough
51. Kimmich whips the corner to the front post, where Hernandez proves himself stronger in the air.
His first home goal for Bayern, and now they have the wind in their sails.
Bayern Munich 1-0 Barcelona
GOALLLLL
HERNANDEZ PUTS BAYERN AHEAD
Bayern Munich 0-0 Barcelona
50. Good save Ter Stegen.
Bayern work the ball well from flank to flank before Goretzka fires a shot at goal.
But Ter Stegen pushes it away for a corner.
Elsewhere tonight
Liverpool 1-1 Ajax
Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Atletico Madrid
FC Porto 0-2 Club Brugge
Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
