Saturday, August 15, 2020

Bayern debacle was Barcelona's worst defeat in almost 80 years

Barcelona was humiliated, humbled, and outplayed by a ruthless Bayern Munich side in their Champions League quarter-final match on Friday. The scoreline read 8-2 at the end with Bayern Munich inflicting Barcelona to one of its worst defeats in their glorious history. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez could just watch as Barcelona’s defence crumbled under the pressure put by Bayern attackers.

Thomas Mueller and Phillipe Coutinho scored twice while Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, and Ivan Perisic also chipping in with goals.

The cracks were already visible for Barcelona but Bayern opened the floodgates. Coach Setien could be sacked soon, Pique says Barca have hit rock bottom and talisman Messi might be considering his future.

It wasn’t just a regular loss for Barcelona but was one of the worst. It was the worst defeat they have suffered in almost 80 years. Last time they lost by a bigger margin than this was in 1940. Take a look at Barcelona’s worst five defeats in their history:-

SEVILLA 11 BARCELONA 1 (La Liga, 1940)

Barcelona took a 10th-minute lead only to fall apart as Sevilla scored all their goals in the space of an hour, between the 23rd and 83rd minutes to inflict the heaviest defeat on Barcelona in any competition.

Oddly enough, Barcelona finished fourth in the 1940-41 La Liga season, ahead of Sevilla who were fifth.

REAL MADRID 8 BARCELONA 2 (La Liga, 1935)

Fernando Sanudo racked up four goals for Real Madrid, the most a single player has ever scored when the two sides met, while Jaime Lazcano added a hat-trick.

Regueiro chipped in with another as Real celebrated the biggest win either side has claimed when playing each other in any competition.

BAYERN MUNICH 8 BARCELONA 2 (Champions League quarter-final, 2020)

Barcelona’s heaviest defeat in European competition in a single match did not look on the cards when David Alaba’s own goal cancelled out Thomas Mueller’s fourth-minute opener for Bayern in their Champions League last-eight clash in Lisbon.

But Barcelona’s ageing side were torn to pieces by an effervescent Bayern who scored almost at will after Croatia winger Ivan Perisic restored their lead.

The German champions led 4-1 at halftime and after Luis Suarez had pulled one back, they overran the Catalan side as substitute Philippe Coutinho, on loan at Bayern from Barcelona, scored two late goals.

The match bore a striking resemblance to Bayern’s 7-0 aggregate rout of Barcelona in the 2013 Champions League semi-final, when the German side won the first leg at home 4-0 followed by a 3-0 victory at the Nou Camp.

LIVERPOOL 4 BARCELONA 0 (Champions League 2019 semi-final)

Barcelona looked poised to reach the final of Europe’s premier club competition after winning the first leg at home 3-0 only to suffer an astonishing reverse at Anfield in the return fixture.

Liverpool, who were missing prolific forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in the return leg, produced a fantastic performance roared on by a fervent home crowd.

Striker Divock Origi gave Liverpool a seventh-minute lead on the night and completed the memorable comeback in the 79th after substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored a quickfire brace early in the second half.

AC MILAN 4 BARCELONA 0 (Champions League final 1994)

Boasting the likes of Brazil striker Romario, Dutch defender Ronald Koeman and midfielder Pep Guardiola who went on to become the club’s trophy-laden coach, Barcelona headed into the final as favourites against the Italian side.

But AC Milan stunned their opponents with lethal counter-attacking which resulted in forward Daniele Massaro firing them into a 2-0 first-half lead.

Montenegrin Dejan Savicevic effectively killed the match as a contest with a delightful lob from the edge of the area in the 47th minute before France enforcer Marcel Desailly put the icing on the cake in the 58th.

(with Reuters input)



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