Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich: Team News, Preview, Live Stream & TV Info
Barcelona host Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal, looking to avenge their comprehensive defeat at the same stage of the competition two years ago.
The narrative in the lead-up to this one has been dominated, of course, by Pep Guardiola.
Barca's most successful ever manager returns to the Camp Nou for the first time in opposition, and when the stakes couldn't be any higher.
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He'll find a Blaugrana side that are no pushovers and who are playing in his very best traditions, unlike the 2013 vintage. Any Bayern fan or player expecting the same outcome is likely to be in for a rude awakening.
Date: Wednesday, May 6
Time: 7.45 p.m. BST/2.45 p.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 and 5 (UK only)/Fox Sports 1 (USA only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only)/Fox Soccer 2 Go (USA only)
Form Lines
| Barcelona | Bayern Munich |
| W 8-0 vs. Cordoba | L 0-2 vs. Bayer Leverkusen |
| W 6-0 vs. Getafe | L 1-1* vs. Borussia Dortmund (*0-2 on pens) |
| W 2-0 vs. Espanyol | W 1-0 vs. Hertha Berlin |
| W 2-0 vs. Paris Saint-Germain | W 6-1 vs. Porto |
| W 2-0 vs. Valencia | W 2-0 vs. Hoffenheim |
| W 3-1 vs. Paris Saint-Germain | L 1-3 vs. Porto |
Predicted Formations
Luis Enrique will have been delighted at the application shown by his players in their 8-0 thumping of Cordoba.
After 41 minutes and the match still goalless, there was no hint at what was to follow, but it was a thoroughly professional performance in what could have been a banana skin for the Blaugrana.
We only need look at Bayern's surprise 0-2 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen to know what can happen when your eye isn't on the prize. AS noted Manuel Neuer's post-match comments: "We were already thinking about Barcelona."
The Catalans will line up with exactly the same staff and 4-3-3 formation as they utilised at the weekend, with the exception of a change between the posts. Marc-Andre ter Stegen will take up his customary role of cup keeper replacing the excellent Claudio Bravo.
Bayern's selection very much depends on some late fitness tests.
Robert Lewandowski has taken to social media to give two thumbs up while wearing a mask, suggesting that he may well be fit enough to play some part in the match:
Franck Ribery hasn't been mentioned in dispatches and faces a race against time to be fit, but if there's a chance, Guardiola will put him in.
Neuer will take up a customary sweeper-keeper role behind a back four of Rafinha, Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez and Juan Bernat. It's a mobile four but it will need to be up against Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
Xabi Alonso will enjoy doing a sterling defensive-midfield job against the old enemy, and he'll be supported in a high-quality midfield by Philipp Lahm and Thiago Alcantara, the latter like Guardiola on his first return to Camp Nou.
It's something the Spaniard will enjoy if his call to brother Rafinha was anything to go by:
Lewandowski will lead the line with Thomas Muller down the right and Mario Gotze intending to give Dani Alves much to think about down the opposite channel.
Cat and mouse all over the pitch in a a game that could be defined by such small margins. Game on!
Player to Watch
One of the worst decisions that the Barcelona board ever made was to sanction the sale of Thiago Alcantara.
Quite rightly the player became disillusioned at a lack of game time and injuries aside he is now ripping it up in the Bundesliga.
He has become the player that Barca wanted him to be but never allowed him the minutes to be able to develop into.
Much of Bayern's play evolves through the youngster with his quick and purposeful delivery a key part of the Bavarian's overall play.
If he isn't shut down quickly, then expect him to dictate not just the pace of the game, but also the pattern of it.
Dilute his influence and Barca have a good chance to emerge victorious here.
Key Battle
Pep Guardiola will be thanking his lucky stars that Thomas Muller remains free of the treatment table.
The free-scoring German caused Barcelona all sorts of problems in the 2013 semi's and will do so again here if he is allowed licence to roam.
Gerard Pique was on sentry duty that day but has improved immeasurably since then and won't be ball-watching quite as much as he did in that first leg at the Allianz Area.
Muller is expert at finding time and space in even the tightest of situations and is strong for such a lithe individual. He knows where the goal is too and remains one of Bayern's top scorers and most important players with 13 goals and 10 assist per WhoScored.
However, he is easily frustrated and if Pique can dominate in the early exchanges, then it could set the tone for the rest of the game.
Odds
The following pre-match odds are available, per Odds Shark:
Home Win: +104
Away Win: +262
Draw: +281
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