Barcelona 2-8 Bayern Munich: Player Ratings as ruthless Bavarians humiliate the Blaugrana | UEFA Champions League 2019/20
In what felt like a seismic day in the history of FC Barcelona, the Spanish giants were humbled 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League.
A brace each from Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho, along with goals from Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Robert Lewandowski subjected Barcelona to their worst humiliation in recent times.
A David Alaba own goal, and a goal in the second half from Luis Suarez ensured that Barcelona got on the scoresheet, but those were mere footnotes on a night of humiliation and shame for Barcelona.
Here's how each player fared in this game.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen - 3/10
He made a couple of terrific saves in the game to deny Lewandowski and Muller, but those were hardly compensations for the number of times he played his teammates into trouble. With Bayern pressing so purposefully and so high, it was suicide from Ter Stegen to keep playing the ball into the feet of his defenders.
Nelson Semedo - 1/10
That was an embarrassing performance from Semedo. He was consistently caught napping in terms of his positioning. Bayern overloaded that flank to expose his defensive weaknesses. His night was summed up when Davies dribbled past him like he wasn't there to set up Kimmich for Bayern's fifth goal.
Gerard Pique - 3/10
Pique said after the game that he'd be the first to step aside, if it meant a positive change for Barcelona. On the back of that performance, he'd be right to step aside. There was no leadership, no communication, no actual defending - just an absolute shambles.
Clement Lenglet - 2/10
Like Pique, Lenglet was a deer caught in the headlights as well. He did not know where to go in the face of the relentlessness of the Bayern press.
Jordi Alba - 2/10
Embarrassing is a word that will be repetitive in the description of this Barcelona performance. Alba wasn't far away from it either. He was caught woefully out of position multiple times, and as an experienced player, didn't really take any responsibility.
Sergio Busquets - 1/10
This game might represent a seismic moment in Busquets's career. After an outstandingly distinguished career with Barcelona, tonight was an indication that his powers are on the wane. He was pressed hard, he was pressed intelligently, and he wilted.
Frenkie de Jong - 2/10
When the more experienced players around him lost their heads, the Dutch youngster did, too. He gave the ball away far too easily, and put his team under pressure far too often.
Sergi Roberto - 2/10
It was his role to provide cover in the right-back area when Semedo bombed up the pitch, but even he was nowhere to be found. Tactically, Roberto was all over the place, and the likes of Thiago and Goretzka were able to pass it around him far too easily.
Arturo Vidal - 1/10
Vidal talked the talk before the game, when he called Barcelona the best team in the world. But he didn't really walk the walk. His power and industry in midfield was easily otudone by the technicality and physicality of Thiago and Goretzka.
Lionel Messi - 2/10
A stunning dribble led to an early chance for Messi, that he failed to take. But after that, he was anonymous. It was a cowardly performance from Messi. Barcelona would've expected their captain to drop deeper, and pick up balls and drive them forward. Instead, it felt like he was just sulking in a corner, waiting for the game to end.
Luis Suarez - 6/10
Suarez is the only Barcelona player who can walk away from that game with any kind of credit. He tried, his quality wasn't always there, but he tried. That goal was vintage Luis Suarez, too.
Substitutes
Antoine Griezmann - 2/10
It said so much about the current state of FC Barcelona that their big summer signing started such a big game on the bench. After he came on, he didn't have any impact either - he just strutted around the pitch like he didn't want to be there, didn't press high, didn't play the ball with any confidence.
Ansu Fati - 5/10
The youngster came on to the pitch with the game already done, and no real scope for salvation.