Three key battles to watch out for in Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

Barcelona are set to face off against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, with all eyes on Hansi Flick as he takes on his former employers.

Flick ‘inflic(k)ted’ relentless pain upon Barcelona when he guided Bayern to a famous 8-2 victory over Barça, not more than four years ago.

The same Flick has now taken upon himself to usher in a new era at Barcelona, having been appointed as the head coach this summer.

The German has not disappointed either, leading Barcelona to their best-ever start in quite some time while building a solid core, which looks more than prepared to take revenge against Bayern this midweek.

As we gear up for this riveting encounter, we will take a look at three key 1v1 battles which may decide the outcome of this game.

Inigo Martinez vs Harry Kane

Although Barcelona have conceded a fair amount of goals this season, their defensive solidity has been characterised by a unique ability to catch opposition attackers behind the line.

Thanks to the leadership of Inigo Martinez, Barcelona have also been quite effective in breaking down attacking moments by intercepting forward balls.

Can Martinez stop Kane’s onslaught? (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

This ability of Martinez, coupled with his physical prowess, could prove to be crucial as Barcelona look to keep Harry Kane quiet.

The Englishman is undisputedly the biggest attacking threat from Bayern Munich, having netted 13 goals in all competitions this season.

Kane’s movement and deadly finishing are two of his greatest assets. And the onus will be on Inigo Martinez to nullify these traits on Wednesday.

Pedri vs Joshua Kimmich

In the heart of the midfield, Pedri’s clash with Joshua Kimmich is set to be one of the most fascinating battles of the night.

Both players are known for their vision, passing range, and intelligence on the ball. However, it is their contrasting styles that make this matchup particularly intriguing.

Pedri, for one, has been a creative lynchpin for Barcelona this season, notably creating a series of goalscoring chances. His darting passes in between the lines have made him an invaluable player under Flick.

On the other hand, Kimmich is one of the most complete midfielders in world football. The Bayern Munich star combines defensive resilience with playmaking ability, often acting as the fulcrum of Bayern’s midfield.

Who comes out on top in this midfield battle could go a long way in dictating the fate of this encounter.

If Pedri continues to stand out, Barcelona will be able to create chances on a whim. But should he get outclassed by Kimmich, then Barça may have a difficult time dominating the game.

Lamine Yamal vs Alphonso Davies

While all eyes will be on in-form Robert Lewandowski, as he takes on his former club, it is Lamine Yamal who will be Barcelona’s biggest weapon going forward.

Exploiting Davies out wide could be key for Barcelona (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Yamal’s battle with Alphonso Davies, in particular, will be worth keeping an eye on, as both players possess incredible pace.

While Davies, who is also a Barcelona target, is regarded as one of the best fullbacks in Europe, the Canadian does have a huge flaw in his game: Leaving spaces in behind the defence.

More often than not, Davies depends on his pace to make up for the lost space behind the defence. But with Yamal parading out wide, Barcelona have a considerable chance of exploring the Bayern backline.

With his pace and dribbling qualities, Yamal has shown time and time again that he is capable of breaking the shackles of even the best of defences.

Wednesday will be a time for the young attacker to step up his game once more.