Big Match Feature: Barcelona v Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich and Barcelona renew acquaintances in the opening round of 2021/22 UEFA Champions League fixtures with memories still fresh of the last remarkable meeting between the clubs. Catch the action from SuperSport live on Showmax Pro.

Bayern put eight goals past Barça when the teams were drawn together in the 2019/20 quarter-finals in Lisbon, the first time they had scored eight in a UEFA Champions League match and the first time their Spanish opponents had conceded eight in a competitive game since 1946.

Bayern, who went on to claim their sixth European Cup that season, and Barcelona are joined by Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv in Group E.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Bayern romped to an 8-2 victory at Lisbon's Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on 14 August 2020 despite David Alaba's seventh-minute own goal cancelling out Thomas Müller's opener three minutes earlier.

By the time Luis Suárez scored Barcelona's second three minutes before the hour, Bayern led 4-1 thanks to goals from Müller again (31), Ivan Perišic (22) and Serge Gnabry (27); Joshua Kimmich (63), Robert Lewandowski (82) and Philippe Coutinho (85, 89) – who was on loan from Barcelona – rounded off a stunning win.

Bayern's four goals in the first 31 minutes was the fastest a team has ever scored four in a UEFA Champions League knockout match, beating their own competition record of 36 minutes set against Porto in the 2014/15 quarterfinal second leg. It was also the first time Bayern had scored eight goals in a UEFA Champions League match; they have hit seven five times.

That meant Bayern have won four of the last five matches between the sides, and seven of their 11 contests against Barcelona overall (D2 L2).

The teams' last nine matches have all been in the UEFA Champions League, and all but two in the knockout stages. This is their first group stage meeting since 1998/99.

Barça came out on top in the 2014/15 semi-finals, going through 5-2 on aggregate (3-0 h, 2-3 a); Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller were on target in Bayern's second-leg consolation victory.

Bayern overwhelmed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their 2012/13 semi-final encounter. Müller scored twice in Munich and once in a 3-0 away success in Barcelona, where Gerard Piqué added an own goal.

Barcelona got the better of Bayern in the 2008/09 quarter-finals, winning 4-0 at the Camp Nou before a 1-1 draw back in Munich.

The teams were paired together in the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League group stage, Bayern winning 1-0 in Munich and 2-1 at the Camp Nou, where they returned for that season's final loss to Manchester United.

Bayern came out 4-3 aggregate winners in the 1995/96 UEFA Cup semi-final; Otto Rehhagel's side drew 2-2 in Germany before prevailing 2-1 away to a Barcelona outfit that included goalkeeper Carles Busquets, father of Sergio.

In all five knockout contests, the winners of the Barcelona-Bayern tie went on to win the trophy.

FORM GUIDE

Bayern are on an 18-match unbeaten #UCL streak away from home, the longest in Champions League history.

The last time they met Barcelona, they scored ?????????? goals... pic.twitter.com/RF93oz8zFU

— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) September 13, 2021

BARCELONA

Barcelona were third in the 2020/21 Spanish Liga behind Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid, the first time they had finished out of the top two since 2007/08, when they also came third.

Barcelona failed to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2006/07, losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 (1-4 h, 1-1 a). That ended their record run of 13 successive last-eight appearances.

The Catalan club had finished second in Group G behind Juventus, with both sides finishing on 15 points; a 3-0 Matchday 6 win at the Camp Nou gave the Italian side the head-to-head advantage. It was the first time Barcelona had not won their group since 2006/07, when they were also eliminated in the round of 16.

The defeat by Juve ended Barcelona's record 38-match unbeaten home run in the UEFA Champions League, a sequence that started in September 2013 (W34 D4); the 5-1 defeat of Lyon in the 2018/19 round of 16 second leg eclipsed the previous competition record of 29 set by Bayern between March 1998 and April 2002.

It was also Barcelona's first loss in the UEFA Champions League group stage since a 3-1 reverse at Manchester City on Matchday 4 in 2016/17; their record in the previous 25 group games was W19 D6.

The Catalan club had been unbeaten in six matches against German clubs (W4 D2), since their second-leg defeat at Bayern in the 2015 semi-final, before losing to the same opponents in the 2019/20 quarter-finals. They drew 0-0 at Dortmund on Matchday 1 the same season before a 3-1 home success.

That 2019 defeat of Dortmund made it four successive victories against German clubs at the Camp Nou, Barcelona scoring 12 goals and conceding only two, and 14 wins in the last 15; the exception was the 0-3 loss to Bayern in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg.

BAYERN MUNICH

This is Bayern's 25th UEFA Champions League group campaign, fewer only than Barcelona and Real Madrid (both 26). They have now won their section 17 times, including in each of the last three seasons. Only Barcelona (21) have done so more often.

In 2020/21, as holders, Bayern finished first in Group A, extending their UEFA Champions League record of successive victories to 15 before being held 1-1 at Atlético de Madrid on Matchday 5. Those were the only points they dropped in their section.

A side coached by Hansi Flick, who had guided Bayern to their sixth European Cup in 2019/20, then eased past Lazio in the round of 16 (4-1 a, 2-1) but a 3-2 home loss against Paris Saint-Germain – who Bayern had beaten 1-0 in the previous season's final – in the quarter-final first leg proved insurmountable, Bayern bowing out despite a subsequent 1-0 win in France.

Bayern's last European away defeat was a 3-0 loss at Paris on Matchday 1 of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League; their record since is W14 D4. Outside Munich they had won ten in a row before being held at Atleti last season, the only one of their last 13 away European matches they have failed to win; the victory at Lazio in the last 16 first leg surpassed Manchester United's UEFA Champions League record of 16 away games without defeat.

Flick left Bayern to take over as Germany coach in the summer, Julian Nagelsmann moving from Leipzig to succeed him in Munich.

Champions of Germany for a record 31st time last season – with a landmark ninth successive Bundesliga title Bayern have reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals or better in nine of the last ten seasons, the exception their defeat by eventual champions Liverpool in the 2018/19 round of 16.

Bayern have recorded only four victories in their last ten matches against Spanish clubs (D3 L3), though they are undefeated in the last five (W3 D2).

Bayern's away record against Spanish clubs is W8 D7 L15. A 2-1 win at Sevilla in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg (2-1 aggregate) is their sole victory in their last eight visits (D2 L5).