Revealed: FC Barcelona’s Champions League Plan To Nullify High-Scoring Bayern Munich And Advance

FC Barcelona have a plan to try and nullify Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarterfinal clash in Lisbon on Friday, and then advance to a semifinal showdown against either Manchester City or Lyon.

Putting seven past Chelsea across two meetings in February and August, while also roaring to an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title, Bayern are one of the competition favorites heading into the meeting with Quique Setien’s men.

But in the days following Barça’s 4-2 aggregate win over Napoli, achieved by a 3-1 victory at the Camp Nou last Saturday, the coach and his staff have been conjuring up a scheme to contain an outfit that boasts the world’s greatest in-form striker in Robert Lewandowksi.

Netting 13 in this season’s edition of the competition, with many believing he can overtake Cristiano Ronaldo’s record haul of 17 in 2013/2014, the Poland international also notched 31 goals in the German top flight.

According to SPORT on Tuesday morning, Setien may opt to set up in a 4-4-2 with an emphasis on keeping the ball so that Bayern have less of it than usual and are therefore reduced in their scoring opportunities.

This approach would of course involve eliminating a forward from the usual 4-3-3, who is most probably left wing misfit Antoine Griezmann.

The Frenchman only returning to full fitness at the weekend, he was ineffective against the Italians despite good pressing work.

The extra midfielder would most likely be Arturo Vidal, who likes to get forward in enjoying his highest tally of goals in Catalonia this term, yet can also muck in defensively when channeling his typical warrior spirit.

Explosive in getting on the scoresheet themselves and feeding Lewandowski, Bayern’s wingers are believed to be the biggest threat to Barça’s chances of progression.

Through keeping the ball in the middle with short and sharp passing from the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Sergi Roberto and Sergi Busquets, the Blaugrana can try and suffocate and frustrate their opponents creatively, then hope to capitalize on a lapse in concentration from the Bavarians’ back line and connect with a killer run from Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez.

All this is easier said than done, of course, but it just might work.