Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich: Hits and flops as Bayern prevail in the battle of the European giants | UEFA Champions League 2021-22
Goals from Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski helped Bayern Munich record a comfortable 3-0 win over Barcelona in their UEFA Champions League encounter on Tuesday.
The first half was a tight affair, with chances coming at a premium for both sides. A deflected effort from Thomas Muller in the 34th minute broke the deadlock, handing Bayern a slender lead that they took into the half-time interval.
However, the Germans then stepped it up in the second half and Ronald Koeman’s men proved unable to stop their onslaught. In fact, the Spaniards finished the game without registering a shot on target as Bayern grabbed total control of the game. Lewandowski notched a second-half brace, capitalizing on rebounds off the post on both occasions to put the result beyond doubt.
On that note, here are five hits and flops from the Group E encounter at Camp Nou.
#1 Hit: Alphonso Davies
Blessed with a blistering recovery pace, Davies is able to play further forward than most left-backs, often doubling up as a second winger. The Canadian spent most of the game in the opposition half and was a constant threat down the left flank.
In addition to his offensive contribution, Davies’ physicality also allowed him to race back into his defensive position when the occasion called for it. As such, Davies and Leroy Sane were a real handful for Barcelona, who struggled to deal with their dual threat.
#2 Flop: Luuk de Jong
Selected to partner countryman Memphis Depay up front, de Jong had an outing to forget. The Dutchman was effectively marked out of the game by Upamecano and struggled terribly to get involved in his side’s attacking play.
With Bayern dominating possession, opportunities for de Jong to get on the ball were few and far between. And while Memphis dropped increasingly deeper to get on the ball, his compatriot was left isolated up top with little to no service. When the ball did make its way over, the Bayern defenders were on de Jong in a flash, hurrying and harrying him throughout.