Three talking points as Barcelona face Bayern Munich in UEFA Champions League | OneFootball

Hansi Flick’s tenure at FC Barcelona has been nothing short of exceptional so far. The two losses to AS Monaco and Osasuna came under unusual circumstances, with the team being reduced to 10 men in the former game and being heavily rotated in the latter game.

Apart from this, Barcelona have won every single game they have played so far, with 10 wins from 12 games. It is remarkable that the German manager’s team is yet to finish a game as a draw. However, Flick will know deep down that the serious business is just about to begin.

With Bayern Munich and Real Madrid on the horizon in back-to-back games, it is safe to say that for the first time in several years, expectations are high among the Blaugrana fanbase. It has to be said though that the German team is also in top form so far this campaign, under new manager Vincent Kompany.

Hansi Flick has transformed the way Barcelona play football and they have been scoring goals for fun so far this season. The same cannot be said of their defensive record although the policy of ‘outscoring your opponent’ has been working like a charm for them until now.

Both teams enter this game with similar records, each having one win and one loss in the Champions League. With this in mind, we at Barca News Network present three key talking points as Barcelona faces Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.

1. Can Barcelona handle the occasion

So many things can be said of Barcelona teams on Champions League nights in recent seasons. So often, we have seen the Catalan club struggle to handle the big stage, often capitulating from positions of strength in remarkable fashion.

Things showed signs of improvement under Xavi last season but even his team struggled to handle the pressure of playing with 10 men in the second leg against PSG.

Hansi Flick has transformed this team, both physically and mentally. Barcelona now look switched on for the entire 90 minutes and are not satisfied with the number of goals they score.

This desire to keep pushing and keep improving should help the team against Bayern Munich. All eyes will be on how the Catalan club handles the occasion, more than anything else.

2. Pedri, Casado & ??

Two out of the three names in the midfield three pick themselves for the Bayern game. Hansi Flick has no reason to leave either Marc Casado or Pedri out of the starting XI. Casado’s role is set in stone and there haven’t been many players in Europe who can claim to have done it better than him so far this season.

Pedri’s role however totally depends on who Hansi Flick chooses as the third midfielder on the night. Eric Garcia is unavailable after an issue he suffered prior to the Sevilla clash. He has been Flick’s choice to rotate when he feels one of Pedri or Casado needs a rest but the German can’t count on that.

One option would be to start Frenkie de Jong alongside Marc Casado which would mean Pedri moves further up into the #10 role. However, if Flick thinks the Dutchman isn’t ready to start, he could start either of Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, and Pablo Torre as the #10 and retain Pedri in a deeper role.

There is also an unlikely route that Flick could go with by continuing with Ansu Fati from the left which would see Raphinha occupy the number 10 role. If Dani Olmo is ready to start, he is a no-brainer and it remains to be seen how the German coach set his team up against Bayern.

3. Robert Lewandowski vs Harry Kane

14 plays 13. Lewandowski has 14 goals for Barcelona this season so far while Kane has 13 for Bayern. To say that the duo have been crucial for their respective teams so far this season would be an understatement.

At 36, Lewandowski looks to be back to his very best. He cannot stop scoring at the moment and his performances have looked sharper with every passing game. He has been helped by the increased chance creation from his teammates but even in front of goal, the Pole looks unstoppable.

Kane on the other hand is on the top of his game. Arguably the best number nine and most complete forward in the world currently, he has been inspirational for Vincent Kompany in Munich. He has helped the likes of Michael Olise prosper and it has worked out very well for the club so far.

Who performs better among the two players could play a crucial role in deciding which team emerges on the winning side on the night. Let’s wait and see how the two players fare and hopefully, Lewandowski can get one over his striker counterpart.