Barcelona vs Bayern Munich 15/08/20

15 August 2020

Estádio da Luz is the venue as Barcelona and Bayern Munich lock horns in a massive UEFA Champions League quarter-finals showdown. The two sides have played against each other in the competition’s knockout stages three times in the past 11 years, with Barca fighting a way through twice.

Undefeated in the Champions League this season, Barcelona qualified for the knockout stages as Group F winners and moved on to dispatch Napoli 4-2 on aggregate in the round of 16 (1-1 A, 3-1 H). The Catalans have yet to lose in Europe this term (W5, D3) and boast a +7 goal difference from eight Champions League matches so far (GF:13, GA: 6). Atypically for Barcelona, attacking game has not been their strong suit this term, with Quique Setien’s side managing an average of 1.62 goals scored per Champions League fixture. The Champions League knockout stage participants for the 16th year in succession, Barca have reached the semi-finals or better nine times across that period but only once in the last four seasons.

It’s been one hell of a season for Bayern Munich, who have won all eight of their Champions League fixtures so far. The ‘Bavarians’ finished top of Group B before hammering Chelsea 7-1 on aggregate (3-0 A, 4-1 H) in their last-16 tie. Hansi Flick’s men do not only boast an intimidating +25 goal difference (GF: 31, GA: 6) from their eight European wins this term, but five of those successes yielded a full-time margin of at least three goals! Reigning Bundesliga champions have reached the competition’s semi-finals or better seven times in the last ten seasons! However, five of their eliminations in that period came to the hands of Spanish adversaries.