Barcelona 0 Bayern Munich 3: (Bayern win 7-0 on aggregate): "Missio Possible," Catalan television had been calling it. That, however, was before the news filtered through that Lionel Messi was not fit enough to start. Bayern Munich were simply too refined, too strong and expertly assembled and, over the two legs, an aggregate victory of 7-0 does not flatter them in the slightest.
Their place in the final against Borussia Dortmund, confirming an all-German event at Wembley on May 25th, was probably assured from the moment the team-sheets were handed in, but just for good measure they still comprehensively set about carrying on from where they had left off in the first leg.
Arjen Robben opened the scoring early in the second half and Camp Nou had to suffer the ignominy of hearing Bayern’s supporters greeting every touch of the ball with cries of “ole” before Gerard Pique’s own goal and Thomas Muller’s header re-iterated their dominance.
They have outclassed the most revered club side of the last 10 years and will have to be considered the favourites for the final bearing in mind they have established a 20-point gap over Dortmund en route to winning the German title. For the Bundesliga, it promises to be a night to cherish.
Barcelona will reflect on what happened at the Allianz Arena when the strength and expertise of Bayern simply overwhelmed them during a 4-0 defeat and it was difficult to think of the last time they had been made to look so vulnerable.
More than that, their thoughts will turn back to that moment, in the first leg of the quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, when Messi felt that sharp, tell-tale pain at the back of his leg and signalled to the bench that he was hurt. They did not know it at the time, but that moment can be directly linked to what has happened since. Messi was a peripheral figure in Munich and his absence from their starting line-up felt like a grievous setback.
With Messi on board, an early onslaught of the Bayern goal would have been anticipated. Instead, the better chances throughout the opening exchanges fell the way of the team that has turned this season’s Bundesliga into a procession.
Barcelona’s selection problems did not just stop at Messi. This was a team missing Sergio Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol and experimenting with a new-look defence that had Adriano deputising for the suspended Jordi Alba at left back and Marc Bartra, usually a fifth-choice centre half, playing alongside Pique.
Bayern felt emboldened enough not to resort merely to ploys of containment. Twice in the first-half it needed saving tackles from Pique to rescue the home side, first when Robben surged beyond Adriano and then a typical driving run through the centre from Muller.
In between, Xavi Hernandez’s long-range effort was heading to the top corner before Manuel Neuer turned it over the crossbar but, for Bayern, the absence of Messi at the arrowhead of the opposition’s attack removed a considerably part of the threat. If Barcelona were to stand any chance, they surely needed to score before half-time, invigorate the crowd and encourage themselves to play with renewed belief.
There were pockets of concerted pressure, with Xavi and Andres Iniesta pushing forward to support David Villa, Cesc Fabregas and Pedro, but little to trouble a team of Bayern’s parsimonious habits. Those elaborate, triangular passing patterns are all very pleasing on the eye. Too often, though, Barca were playing in midfield areas where their opponents could not be hurt.
The first-half simply fizzled out, in front of one of the quietest 95,000-plus crowds it is possible to imagine. There was barely a flicker of applause as the two teams left the pitch, no sense of drama or expectation.
Bayern had looked the more rounded side and it was some goal to establish a new position of control. David Alaba’s crossfield pass picked out Robben. The Dutchman had been a difficult opponent for Adriano all night and Barca were in trouble as soon as he eluded the full back. The ball was on his strongest foot and his diagonal shot, from right to left, was struck tremendously.
Tito Vilanova’s response was to substitute Xavi and then Iniesta and Barcelona were looking close to dishevelled by the time Pique tried to clear Franck Ribery’s cross and managed only to divert it past Valdes. It was an ignominious moment for Pique but it has been that kind of contest for Barcelona and there were great queues for the exits when the third arrived. This one originated from another Ribery cross and Muller was at the far post, more decisive than any of the defenders around him, to complete the rout.
Guardian Service
