"It's time for revenge", "We will see who is boss" - Fans react as Barcelona name XI for Bayern Munich clash
Some Barcelona fans online have reacted to Hansi Flick's starting line-up to face Bayern Munich at home in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 23. The Catalan side have lost in their last six games against the Bavarian giants in the UCL.
Coach Hansi Flick opted for a 4-2-3-1 lineup, with Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, and Alejandro Balde manning the backline. Marc Casado, Pedri, and Fermin Lopez form the midfield. Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha feature in the attack, with Robert Lewandowski as the starting striker. Inaki Pena starts as the goalkeeper.
Some culers reacted to the lineup on X, with many considering it a chance for revenge. One fan wrote:
"It’s time for revenge and to let the world know we are truly back Forca Barca."
"Flick ball. Excited..." another fan added.
"Time to cook," a Culer declared.
"Solid XI… there’s no excuse to not get a decent result against this Bayern side, let’s gooo," a netizen chimed in.
Reactions continued to pour in with some fans being confident about the result. An enthusiastic fan commented:
"WE WILL SEE WHO IS BOSS!!"
"if Aston villa can win against Bayern then Barca should also win today. Barca is much better team than Aston villa," another user wrote.
"Lewandowski hat trick tonight," a fan jibed.
"This combination looks so dangerous," a user noted.
Barcelona and Bayern Munich have faced each other 15 times in European competitions. La Blaugrana won only twice against the Bavarian giants while Bayern won 11 games. Two games ended in a stalemate.
Barca's last win against Bayern came in the 2014-15 Champions League semi-final first leg. The Catalan side won 3-0 and went on to win the title that season.
"I played there, I trained them" - Barcelona coach Hansi Flick makes feelings clear ahead of Bayern Munich clash in the UCL
In the pre-match press conference on Tuesday (October 22), Barcelona coach Hansi Flick shared his thoughts on facing Bayern Munich. The German tactician notably managed the Bavarian side between 2019 and 2021. He was the architect of Bayern winning their second continental treble in the 2019-20 season.
Flick said (via Forbes):
"We prepare for each game knowing the opponent very well. I played there, I trained them. It's an excellent club and I have a lot of acquaintances and a good relationship with players and managers."
The coach was also questioned about Bayern Munich's excellent record against Barcelona. The coach added:
"What happened in the past we cannot influence it, but we can do it in tomorrow's game. Of course we want to try to win tomorrow's game."
Flick took over the helm at Barcelona in the summer of 2023 following the departure of former coach Xavi. The Catalan side have maintained an impressive form since Flick's arrival, recording nine wins out of 10 games in LaLiga. La Blaugrana sits atop the table with 27 points.
Meanwhile, they have recorded one win and one loss in the UEFA Champions League. They lost 2-1 in their opening game against Monaco before winning 5-0 over Young Boys in their last clash.