Wednesday, May 6, 2015

UEFA Champions League Barcelona vs Bayern Munich: 5 things to look out for in the Champions League first leg



Duel: The master and his protege will face off for a place in Berlin
Pep Guardiola makes his first return to Camp Nou as an opposing manager tonight when his Bayern Munich side visit Barcelona in the Champions League.
The Spanish coach won 14 trophies during four years as head coach in Catalunya, but has vowed that he'll be doing everything in his power to ensure the Bavarians make a second final in three years.
He isn't the only one making a homecoming, with Thiago Alcantara and Pepe Reina both in the Bayern squad to face their former club, while Xabi Alonso is no stranger to a hostile Catalan crowd either.
But Lionel Messi and company head into the tie as slight favourites, with the Blaugrana arriving on the back of an 8-0 hammering of Cordoba at the weekend.
Here's five things to look out for...

Can Pep Guardiola formulate a plan to limit Lionel Messi?


Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno
Unstoppable: But will Guardiola have a plan to counteract Messi?
"If Messi is like I think he will be, there is no defender who can stop him, it is impossible. When Messi is in form, as now, no defensive system or coach can stop him."
Such is the greatness of Lionel Messi that the man who knows him from a coaches point-of-view like no other, has declared he is simply impossible to stop. The Argentine has been in top form this term, scoring 51 goals in 50 matches and claiming an equally astonishing 29 assists, as part of a Barcelona front trio which has already notched over 100 goals between them.
So, if he's unstoppable, then what will Guardiola have in store? The Spaniard has spoken of limiting the four-time Ballon d'Or winner - "keep close and keep the ball from him". But that is much easier said than done.

Lionel Messi 2014/15

50
Appearances
51
Goals
29
Assists
As has been the norm this term, Messi will line up from the right side of Barca's front three, handed the license by Luis Enrique to wander across the final third, dropping into space from where he can either create for another or be clinical himself.
On paper, Juan Bernat - a fine full-back - would appear to be his direct opponent, assuming Guardiola goes with a back four. But the young Spaniard will need help from whoever is sitting in midfield, likely Alonso and Philipp Lahm, his left-sided centre-back (Dante) and just about everyone else available to contain Messi. Even then, Pep reckons it may not be enough.

Will Bayern cope without Arjen Robben?


Getty Images Bayern Munich's Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben is injured and has to go off
Bayern Munich's Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben is injured and has to go off
Over the last 24 months - outside of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - you could make a point that there has been no more devastating force in world football than Arjen Robben.
The flying Dutchman led his country - unfancied heading into the tournament - to third at the 2014 World Cup, has won three successive Bundesliga titles, played a decisive part in last year's German Cup victory and was Bayern's standout player in the 2013 Champions League win under Jupp Heynckes. At the heart of that success was his starring role in Bayern's 7-0 aggregate thumping of Barca, with Robben running riot.
However, after a comeback which lasted just 16 minutes against Borussia Dortmund last week, the 31-year-old has seen his season ended by injury. A major blow for himself, but also for Bayern.
For while Sabener Strasse may house a number of outstanding footballers, they don't have anyone else like Robben. No one can match the dash and directness that he brings to the side. Without him, Bayern can be a little ponderous, too keen on merely recycling possession. Often, when a door needs breaking down, it's he who charges through first, slaloming past a full-back and drilling into the net with his left foot.
Two years ago, he terrorised Jordi Alba. Tonight, his absence not only gives Alba less of a direct opponent from a defensive standpoint, but it also frees him up to make his customary late runs into the Bayern box - which Messi is so adept at finding.

Pressure on Xabi Alonso


A. Beier
Struggles: Alonso dictates for Bayern from deep, but struggled under BVB's pressure
During Dortmund's German Cup success over Bayern seven days ago, Die Borussen got particular joy with their customary pressing game, particularly on Xabi Alonso.
Head up, with the pitch ahead of him, Alonso is capable of turning defence into attack with one swish of the paintbrush that he calls a right foot. But Jurgen Klopp's men were aware of that and pressed him whenever he was rolled the ball by one of his centre-halves. They kept Alonso facing his own goal, unable to get on the half-turn from where to play those raking 50/60-yard passes at which he is so adept. Simply, they left him no option other than to turn into trouble or play safely backwards; not being Marco Verratti, he went back more often than not.
For much of the 120 minutes, Alonso's ineffectiveness neutralised Bayern. He still made 156 passes, but few were into dangerous areas; Alonso's influence, like Bayern's attacking threat, became less and less.
Tonight, in the battle for midfield superiority, it would be a surprise if Luis Enrique didn't adopt a similar tactic, particularly when Ivan Rakitic is such a good match physically, capable of doing both that job and keeping the side's shape - much like Arturo Vidal in Juventus' win over Real on Tuesday.
Indeed, if Alonso is shut down, it will be interesting to see how Guardiola responds and alters his side.

Thiago with a point to prove


Getty Bayern Munich's Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara celebrates scoring
Key role: Thiago was at his exquisite best in the thumping of Porto
Cesc Fabregas was hailed as the future of Barcelona when he completed his return in 2011, but the former Arsenal man was bombed to Chelsea last summer after seeing his homecoming turn sour. That came just 12 months after Los Cules board allowed another Spanish midfielder to depart the club - Thiago Alcantara.
The 24-year-old will, like his manager, be making his first appearance back on his former stomping ground since moving to the Allianz Arena for £21million in 2013 - if David Moyes had his way, Thiago would be a Manchester United player right now.
Thiago himself has declared that if Guardiola hadn't left Barca in 2012, he'd likely still be at Camp Nou himself: “Pep has always had a lot of faith in me, and me in him, so if he was still the coach then yes, probably,” he told the Independent.
His departure was a far cry from the sparkling early displays upon his breakthrough into the senior side. For many, he was the future of Barcelona's midfield, the heir to Xavi Hernandez.

Johannes Simon
Wilkommen: Thiago is presented by Bayern after signing
It was little surprise when Guardiola, knowing of Thiago's situation and having seen him captain Spain to the 2013 European under-21 Championship - where he scored a hat-trick in the final - made only one request of Bayern's board upon taking the job in Bavaria: Sign him.
Since arriving, two serious knee injuries have disrupted his progress. But now, back to full fitness, he is back in the starting XI with his passing, decision-making and ability to beat a man adding a greater cutting edge to Bayern's midfield.
Tonight will be only his 35th competitive appearance for Die Roten in 22 months, and he'll be looking to prove a point: not merely that he's over his injury problems, but rather that he should never have been allowed to leave.

Luis Suarez - The man for the big occasion


Reuters Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring the third goal for Barcelona
Terrorising: Suarez has already shot down English and Spanish champions
Since returning from his bite ban in October, Luis Suarez has grown into his role as Barcelona's No.9 and since January he has been in monstrous form.
The Uruguayan has scored 14 goals in 15 La Liga matches and has shown himself the man for the big occasion in the Champions League. The ex-Liverpool hitman notched both goals in Barca's first-leg victory over Manchester City and also struck twice in the 3-1 first leg win over PSG in the quarter-finals.
His role - playing through the centre, bulldozing centre-halves - has added a greater directness to Barcelona's attack, with his movement and battling qualities every bit as important as his finishing ability.

Luis Suarez's Barcelona record 14/15 (all competitions)

38
Played
24
Scored
20
Assists
The 28-year-old is a little more rough around the edges than his strike partners - between them, Messi, Suarez and Neymar have over 50 goals since the turn of the year - but is equally important to Enrique's side. Neither Jerome Boateng nor Dante will be eager to face him.
Last season's English and French champions have already felt the force of El Pistolero. Will Germany's best suffer a similar fate?

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