Barcelona opened its pre-season with a 2-0 loss against Bayern Munich. While Barcelona only played with a few of first-team starters, the Germans featured most of their top players. Here are a few things revealed in the match between the two rivals.
1. Bayern is a Well-Oiled Attacking Machine
Bayern Munich drove the play throughout and remained an attack threat for the duration of the match. The team seamlessly passed the ball up the field with little difficulty and constantly created chances. The goal from Phillip Lahm clearly indicated that the team has a variety of attacking options aside from the usual suspects.
2. But the Team is Exposed Defensively
Barcelona was not in top form. And yet, the Spaniards managed to create a number of good chances on the counterattack. While Bayern's defense was solid overall, there were moments where the high pressing from its attackers left the team vulnerable to the counter-strike.
3. Frank Ribery Gave Marc Bartra Problems All Night
Bayern's play along the flanks gave the team a huge advantage, especially on Ribery's wing. The Frenchman made defenseman Marc Bartra have a nightmare of a match as the youngster struggled to contain the Bayern star. Bartra is the future of Barcelona, but his performance proved that he may not be ready just yet.
4. Barcelona Trying a More Direct Approach To Better Results
The Spaniards did not score, but they looked more dangerous in this friendly with a B-Team than they did during either one of the two legs in Champions league semi-final. The passing was often sloppy and lacked rhythm, but the squad made up for it with a more direct approach that seemed to surprise Bayern throughout.
5. Bayern Reigns Supreme
It was only a pre-season match and Barcelona lacked its top players (it was also the team's first pre-season game), but it was clear which side was superior; and it was not even close. Bayern Munich dominated the opening and close of the match while Barcelona struggled to find its footing.
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