The draw for the first phase of the Champions League, held on Thursday in Istanbul (where the final of the tournament will also be played), punished FC Barcelona with one of the worst possible groups. Those of Xavi will have to play the pass to the round of 16 against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, without neglecting Viktoria Pilsen. The Germans were among the strongest teams in pot one and the Italians were the opponents to avoid in pot three. Fate, with Yaya Touré as the innocent hand, brought them together in the toughest group, but also the most attractive in this new edition of the Champions League.
The recent history of Barça, deficient in Europe, has been largely due to the sporting mistreatment of Bayern Munich, the team that signed one of the worst defeats in memory and will be remembered from a Barcelona perspective: Lisbon, 2-8, August 14, 2020. The Germans crushed the team led by Quique Setién at the time in a requiem that certified the end of a generation of winners already unable to compete.
Last season, the Bavarians crossed Barça’s path again and inequality continued to preside over the duel: 0-3 at the Camp Nou, 3-0 at the Alianz Arena. Memory is enough to recall another disaster, that of the semifinals of the 2012-13 season (7-0 overall) but also to elevate Messi’s masterpiece in the 2014-15 season, which would end with the Champions League title. The Argentine was the architect of the 3-0 in Barcelona.
Bayern, a club with six Champions League titles, is today the powerful team it has always been, ruthless in the Bundesliga and always the favorite in the European Cup. He is trained for the second season by the young Julian Nagelsman, who has had to change Lewandowski, today at Barça, for Mané at the top of the attack. Leaders are already in their country. They are an offensive roller. / Joan Josep Pallas.
From runner-up in the League (Barça) to runner-up in Serie A. Inter Milan is also another old acquaintance of the azulgrana. Up to 14 times they have faced each other in Europe –ten in the Champions League and four in the 60s– with a balance that falls on the Barcelona side with eight wins, four draws and two wins for the Italians.
The last one is well remembered by the Camp Nou and also by Xavi, captain of that team. It was in the 2009-2010 semifinals when the Blaugrana, coached by Guardiola, signed an insufficient 1-0 at home after the culé defeat in Milan by 3-1. Mourinho went wild with joy even when the sprinklers happened to come on.
The closest precedent is more optimistic. It led them to meet in the group stage for two consecutive seasons, in 2018-19 and 2019-20. It was in the latter that the Catalans won both games, the second with a goal from Ansu Fati in Milan that made Barça’s 10th today the youngest scorer in the competition.
Like Barça in the League, Inter does not want to settle for being runner-up. That is why Simone Inzaghi, who is living his second year on the bench, has recovered Lukaku for the cause, who completes one of the best offensive arsenals together with Lautaro Martínez, wanted in his day by Barça, Dzeko and Correa. At the moment they continue seconds. / Anais Marti.
In a room in the facilities of their sports city, the Viktoria Pilsen players closely followed the draw and celebrated as if it were a title to be framed with three giants steeped in history. The images, shared on the networks, were reminiscent of those that usually occur in the first rounds of the Cup, when the lucky teams of modest soccer make the dream of facing their idols come true. These images alone describe the abysmal difference between those who will fight to get through the round and those who will settle for scratching a point that leaves a good taste in the mouth of the fans. Losing will be the norm, but it doesn’t matter.
The city club that popularized Pilsen beer has reached the league after overcoming three rounds. Helsinki, Sheriff and Qarabag were the victims of the Czech league champion last season. It is his fourth participation in the final phase and for the second time he will face Barça. In the 2011/12 season they lost both games: 2-0 at the Camp Nou and 0-4 in Prague. Fortunately for Viktoria, they can now play their home games with the Doosan Arena adapted for the occasion. With hardly any internationals (not even Czechs), the bohemian threat comes from above. In the area you will have to watch out for the giant Chory (1.98 cm). / Oriol Dotras.
