Champions League
Bayern vs. Barcelona: Preview and betting tips
The highlight of the last round of the Champions League group stage will be the match between Bayern and Barcelona. While the Bavarian big club is already assured of first place, the visitors ideally need to win. Can they do it?
The highlight of the last round of the Champions League group stage will be the match between Bayern and Barcelona. While the Bavarian big club is already assured of first place, the visitors ideally need to win. Can they do it?
Bayern have nothing to play for in the last game of the group stage. First place in the group is assured, having won all five games so far. They are also doing well in the league, beating Borussia Dortmund at the weekend to take a four-point lead.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are doing unusually badly. Only a win will give it certainty in the spring phase of the competition, and with a draw or a loss, the Catalans must hope for a Dynamo Kiev defeat against Benfica Lisbon.
Robert Lewandowski is having a great season, the Polish cannonballer has already scored twenty-five goals and assisted four times. The neglected Thomas Müller has managed to score fifteen goals in all competitions, scoring six himself.
The top scorer for the visitors is summer signing Memphis Depay with eight shots, but the Dutch international’s performance so far remains below expectations. More is also expected from midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
Bayern have already scored nineteen goals in the competition and have scored at least twice in four of their last six games.
Barcelona’s offensive woes are summed up by two statistics. It has scored at most one goal in three of its last four games and has two goals in the Champions League after five rounds.
Given the state of both teams and the pressure on Barcelona, I think Bayern will win.