The first Spanish team to be aggrieved by Bayern was Atlético in 1974, with that goal by Schwarzenbeck in the last minute of extra time, a historical upset only comparable to that produced by Sergio Ramos in Lisbon.
For its part, Real Madrid has had frequent conflicts with Bayern. Grievances have not just come from the Bayern side (the 9-1 thrashing in a pre-season friendly in Munich in 1980, their withdrawal at halftime in a Bernabéu Trophy match, and Augenthaler’s bull horns gesture the infuriated the Bernabéu), but also from that of Madrid, with episodes that mire Madrid’s European history, such as the infamous ‘Loco at the Bernabéu’ game, where Juanito was sent off for stomping on Matthaeus’s head.
Barcelona must banish ghosts of the 8-2 thrashing
Barça completed the trio of victims with that unexpected 8-2 in Lisbon, the worst European defeat in the club’s history. That day everything shook and they are still picking up the rubble from the collapse. As such, from the point of view of Barça, tonight’s game against Bayern has an undeniable sense of morbidity surrounding it.
A dejected Lionel Messi looks at the ground during Barcelona’s 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich. Frank Hoermann / SVEN SIMON/via (GTRES)
On the eve of the game, Menzel, a correspondent for AS in Germany, has done an interview with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge that deserves careful reading. Having just left his post as Bayern’s general manager, he makes a fine analysis of the situation of his club, situated between clubs with a strong extra injection of money and those that advocate for the Super League.
Bayern’s landing in Barcelona coincides with the bad news that president Joan Laporta has been meddling in the coaching affairs of Ronald Koeman. The message that leaked to a group of journalists recently revealed that Laporta trusts Koeman as long as he does not deviate at all from 4-3-3, and that he wants him to use Umtiti and Riqui Puig more.
I wonder if Koeman will obey or realize that there is nothing less intelligent than obedience. It’s a bad situation to be in with Bayern knocking at the door.
