Champions League Semi-final vs PSG (2017)

Lore & Background

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the match was played behind closed doors. Barcelona suffered their heaviest loss in 69 years; this was the first time they had conceded more than five goals in a UEFA Champions League game, and their worst concession since the 8–0 defeat to Sevilla in the round of 16 of the 1946 Copa del Generalísimo. Bayern Munich, on the other hand, continued their run of winning all UEFA Champions League matches they played in the season, and would go on to lift the title.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at Parc des Princes hummed with tension as the second leg reached its climax. Neymar looked up toward the stands, knowing this could be his last European night wearing the crest he loved most before the summer transfer saga concluded. The roar of the crowd shifted from anticipation to shock as Barcelona's attack surged forward one final time, sealing a victory that felt inevitable yet emotionally complex.

Reader's Guide

The fixture was played on the 14th of August, 2020 at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal. It was part of a single-elimination tournament, following UEFA's decision to complete the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League and 2019–20 UEFA Europa League seasons, which had been halted since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at neutral venues. In the opening 10 minutes, Thomas Müller fired Bayern Munich ahead following a one-two with Robert Lewandowski. Shortly after, David Alaba sliced a cross from Jordi Alba into his own net to level the scores. The following minutes took the match away from Barcelona, as Ivan Perišić kicked in a deflected shot in the 21st minute for Bayern, fed by a pass from Serge Gnabry, after a passing error from Sergi Roberto. Gnabry then scored with a half volley straight shot from a chip through-ball by Leon Goretzka in the 27th minute, and Müller quickly added the fourth four minutes later from a cross by Joshua Kimmich. In the 57th minute, a neat turn and finish from the centre of the box to the bottom-right corner by Suárez gave the Spanish side a glimmer of hope, but that proved premature, as Kimmich's side-footed finish in the 63rd minute made the scoreline 5–2 to the Germans. Bayern scored three goals in the closing 10 minutes of the match as Lewandowski headed his 14th goal of the campaign from a close-range cross by Philippe Coutinho in the 82nd minute. Then Coutinho, who was on loan to Bayern from Barcelona, made the scoreline 8–2 in the final moments of the match: first by taking advantage of a pass from Müller in the 85th minute with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom-left corner, followed by a left-footed shot from very close range to the bottom-left corner from a headed pass by substitute Lucas Hernandez in the 89th minute.

Did You Know?

• It marked the first time Barcelona had conceded eight goals in a game since 1946, when they lost 8–0 to Sevilla in the 1946 Copa del Generalísimo.
• This was only the second occasion in history that Barcelona conceded more than 4 goals in one game in European competitions since their 5–4 loss to Levski Sofia in the 1975–76 UEFA Cup quarter-final.
• Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski became the first player to score in eight or more consecutive UEFA Champions League matches since Cristiano Ronaldo in April 2018 (eleven games).
• Bayern's coach Hansi Flick became only the third manager in Champions League history to win his first six matches in charge, after Fabio Capello in 1992–93 and Luis Fernández in 1994–95.