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Two of Europe's heavyweights, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, will lock horns at the Camp Nou on Matchday 1 of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League. The two sides are the favourites to qualify for the knockout rounds from Group E.
Barcelona will look to get revenge for the humiliation they suffered the last time they faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League last year. The Blaugrana were demolished 8-2 in the quarter-finals as Bayern went on to win the tournament.
Both sides are unbeaten this season, but Bayern Munich have been at their dominant best in the Bundesliga. They have scored 28 goals in six games across competitions this season, and are favourites to win on Tuesday. Barcelona, meanwhile, have struggled defensively in each of their three games this season, failing to beat their opponents convincingly.
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So, without further ado, here are five reasons why Barcelona could struggle against Bayern Munich on Matchday 1 of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League
#5 Bayern Munich wear a more settled look than Barcelona
Bayern Munich have already played six games this season, meaning they have had more games to shake off their pre-season rust. The Bavarian giants have already hit their stride this season, and are in free-scoring form.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have only played three games this season. Their game against Sevilla at the weekend got postponed. So the Blaugrana will go into their opening UEFA Champions League game without a competitive game in two weeks due to the international break.
That could hurt the Blaugrana on Tuesday, as Bayern Munich are more likely to start off as the stronger team. That could mean Barcelona playing second fiddle for large swathes and possibly coming out second-best on the night.
#4 The difference in experience between the two teams
There is a huge gulf in class between the two sides, as Bayern Munich arguably have better players in most areas of the pitch than Barcelona. It's no secret this is one of Barcelona's worst teams of all time in terms of their starting XI. So the German outfit could take advantage of that on Tuesday.
Barcelona will have their younger players like Pedri and Frenkie De Jong going up against the likes of Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich in midfield. So Bayern Munich will fancy their chances of overwhelming their relatively inexperienced hosts on Tuesday.
Bayern Munich are clearly the superior side on paper, and have players of a much higher caliber compared to Barcelona. That could get apparent during their Champions League clash at Camp Nou.
#3 Ronald Koeman is still looking for his strongest Barcelona XI
During his tenure at Barcelona, Ronald Koeman has arguably not been able to nail down a consistent starting XI. The Dutchman has constantly chopped and changed his squad as he looks to find the perfect players for his preferred system.
Last season, Koeman implemented a back-three in the second half of the campaign. But this season, the Dutchman has played a 4-3-3 system in Barcelona's opening three fixtures. His selection of the back four, in particular, has been inconsistent, as he hasn't yet settled on a stable centre-back partnership.
Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have had the same core group of players in their starting XI for the past few years. They have a way more settled squad than Barcelona, in general.
#2 Barcelona are missing key players due to injury
Barcelona would be without a few players who might have featured against Bayern Munich if they were fit. Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati would have started the game, but the duo has been ruled out due to injury.
Summer signing Sergio Aguero has had joy against Bayern Munich in the past, scoring a hat-trick against them for Manchester City. However,, the Argentinian superstar is also unavailable for the game.
Elsewhere, Martin Braithwaite has been a favourite under Koeman. But he will not take the field against Bayern Munich after picking up an injury at the end of last month.
These are significant absentees for Barcelona, something Bayern Munich would look to capitalise on.
#1 Barcelona lack a superstar
In the past, whenever Barcelona needed a goal, more often than not, they could rely on Lionel Messi to get them out of trouble. However, the Blaugrana does not have the Argentine to call upon this season.
Barcelona lost both Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann during this summer's transfer window. The two superstars have the ability to single-handedly impact games, but they are no more with the Blaugrana.
Summer signing Memphis Depay has shown that he could become the superstar Barcelona need. But the Dutchman has not yet faced opposition of the level of Bayern Munich.
With Sergio Aguero, usually a man for the big occasion, not available for the Bayern Munich game, the Blaugrana lack a player who can produce a goal out of nothing.
