Barcelona’s hot start to the 2022-23 season under club boss Xavi was checked tonight by Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern Munich in Bavaria after the Bundesliga champions secured a 2-0 win to take control of the top spot in Group C and remind former striker Robert Lewandowski that perhaps he should have extended his stay at the Allianz Arena.
FT: Bayern 2-0 Barcelona
Bayern fans rn: pic.twitter.com/MF89OuvJeI
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 13, 2022
Goals from Lucas Hernández and Leroy Sané in the opening ten minutes of the second half saw Bayern put to rest recent domestic criticism that has seen them held to three successive draws in the Bundesliga, while Barça’s La Liga form was unable to carry over into proceedings tonight after Xavi’s men have been in hot form in the Spanish top flight while they look to remain in touching distance of bitter rivals Real Madrid.
For Lewandowski, Bayern’s second all-time leading scorer behind German legend Gerd Müller, it was a homecoming to forget for the Polish international who was unable to once again add his name on the scoresheet for his new employers, but for Nagelsmann’s men, Bayern secured their tenth win in fourteen fixtures against Barcelona in the Champions League while scoring 32 goals along the way.
Bayern Munich’s all-time record vs. Barcelona in all competitions:
14 games 👕
10 wins ✅
2 draws 🤝
2 losses ❌
32 goals scored ⚽Win number 10 against the Spanish side. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/44ABlfw9JD
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 13, 2022
In a key group match where German international keeper Marc-André ter Stegen came under criticism for a questionable performance on the night, Bayern now has taken six points from six to open their European campaign having seen off both Barcelona and Inter Milan, and will now go into their two fixtures against Czech outfit Viktoria Plzen confident of making it four wins from four and possibly guaranteeing top spot in a group that will have to sacrifice one of the biggest club’s in Europe and condemn them to drop into the Europa League knockout stage tree.
Bayern may have gotten off to a comparably worse start on the domestic from than Barcelona’s rampant form, but when it comes to major European honors, it is very much one-nil to the Bavarians this season in what may end up being a summer move that Lewandowski ultimately could regret.
