Barcelona were demolished 8-2 by Bayern Munich led by Hansi Flick in 2020 Champions League quarterfinals. This was one of the most shocking results in history of football. Hansi Flick’s Bayern executed a perfect tactical masterclass. Let’s have a look into How Flick’s Bayern Destroyed Barcelona.
High-Intensity Relentless Pressing
📌Barcelona’s overall team structure was weak under Quique Setién, taking advantage of this Flick’s side started aggressive pressing from the first whistle of the game.
📌Bayern’s man-to-man pressing forced Barcelona to give away cheap balls in their defensive third, forcing mistakes and disrupting their build-up play.
📌Barcelona’s poor weak line, including Gerard Piqué and Clément Lenglet struggled to handle Bayern’s harsh press/
Exploiting Barcelona’s Defence
📌Barcelona’s defence was aged, including the likes of Piqué, Alba, and Semedo who lacked pace and was disorganised the whole time. They couldn’t cope with Bayern’s quick transitions.
📌Flick’s side attacked Barcelona’s weak link, the flanks. Alba and Semedo were often caught out of position, helping Bayern with spaces to cross or cut inside.
📌Barcelona’s high-defensive line was often bypassed by Bayern’s well-time runs.
Bayern’s Positional Play
📌Bayern’s Thomas Müller was the main threat for Barcelona. He played a hybrid False-9 role, constantly finding gaps between the lines.
📌Müller’s link-up play with Lewandowski and Gnabry with one-touch passes constantly disorganised Barcelona’s defensive line.
📌Müller’s fluid movement allowed other attacks to flood the inside of the box creating further opportunities towards goal.
Alphonso Davies’ Destruction of Semedo
📌Davies completely dominated the left flank with his pace and dribbling ability. He even pocketed Messi keeping him out of the equation
📌His iconic dribble past Semedo to assist Kimmich’s goal highlighted Barcelona’s defensive fragility.
📌Davies’ constant overlapping runs stretched Barcelona’s defensive shape with more chances in the centre.
Bayern’s Ruthless Attacking
📌Barcelona tried to control possession, and when Bayern regained it they converted defence into attack within seconds catching Barcelona off guard.
📌Bayern’s constant quick transitions exposed Barcelona’s midfield problems.
Conclusion
Hansi Flick executed a flawless game plan completely demolishing Barcelona. Bayern’s mentality until the final whistle showed Flick’s intention towards the game. This 8-2 thrashing remains one of the greatest tactical masterclasses in football history.