FC Barcelona, after a few disappointing years in the Champions League—marked by two group-stage exits and a quarter-final loss to PSG last season—are looking to make a strong comeback in the revamped format of the competition.
Their journey began on a rough note with a 2-1 defeat to AS Monaco, a match that saw Araujo sent off early.
Fortunately, Barcelona bounced back in style with a dominant 5-0 victory over Young Boys at the start of the month. In La Liga, despite a surprising 4-2 loss to Osasuna, Hansi Flick’s side has been largely solid, securing a 3-0 win over Alavés before the international break.
Up next, they face Sevilla in La Liga before a crucial Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, with hopes of holding onto their top spot in the domestic league.
Bayern Munich, who reached the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League before falling to eventual winners Real Madrid, are once again among the tournament favorites.
They opened this year’s campaign with a resounding 9-2 win against Dinamo Zagreb but stumbled in their second group match with a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa, putting them in a challenging position in the standings.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern, led by Harry Kane, are battling to stay on top, currently tied with RB Leipzig. However, two consecutive league draws—1-1 against Bayer Leverkusen and 3-3 against Eintracht Frankfurt—leave them seeking momentum heading into this European showdown.
Barcelona has received a boost with Frenkie de Jong’s return from injury, and he could be in contention for a starting role alongside defenders Araujo, Christensen, and summer signing Dani Olmo. However, they will still be missing Gavi, who is recovering from injury, as well as goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen (likely out for the season), Fermin Lopez (recovery setback), and Bernal (season-ending injury).
Striker Robert Lewandowski remains in top form, with 10 goals in La Liga and 2 in the Champions League, while wingers Lamine Yamal (4 goals, 5 assists) and Raphinha (5 goals, 4 assists) continue to shine. Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement to replace Ter Stegen, is expected to start in goal.
Bayern Munich, however, are also dealing with their own injury issues. Summer signing Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic, and right-back Sacha Boey are all unavailable. In addition, key players like Jamal Musiala (3 goals), Dayot Upamecano, and young talent Mathys Tel are set to miss the trip to Barcelona.
Despite these absences, Bayern still possess formidable attacking options. Harry Kane (5 goals, 4 assists in the Bundesliga, and 4 goals in the Champions League) will lead the line, supported by Serge Gnabry (2 goals, 2 assists) and French winger Michael Olise (4 goals, 2 assists).
Prediction
When Bayern Munich comes to town, goals are almost always guaranteed. Ten of Bayern’s 14 away games this season have featured over 2.5 goals, and Barcelona has seen similarly high-scoring matches in 10 of their last 16 Champions League fixtures. Another thrilling encounter seems likely.
Prediction: Barcelona 2 : 3 Bayern Munich
