MOTD- Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona

By on July 24, 2013

Bayern Munich cruised to a straightforward victory over a Barcelona side missing Neymar, Andreas Iniesta, Xavi, and new manager Gerardo Martino in a friendly at the Allianz Arena. Bayern’s new gaffer Pep Guardiola got a first taste of playing against his former club Barca, with the Spaniard featuring a changed Bayern side. Philip Lahm was pushed forward from his usual left-back position to an attacking midfielder role, while the Bavarian’s new acquisition Thiago Alcantara also immediately broke into the Champions League winners side following his move to Germany.

Both players looked equally impressive in the first minutes of the game, in wich Bayern iimposed their dominance. Their first chance came when Frank Ribery skipped down the left and fed a low cross across the Barca box to Arjen Robben, who had his effort from the back post blocked by the outstretched leg of Adriano. David Alaba then forced the Blaugrana goalkeeper Jose Pinto into a stinging save from fifteen yards, before Bayern’s inevitably goal put them in the lead in the fourteenth minute. Ribery’s sfrom the left found Lahm, who rose above his marker to send a looping header into the back of the net from eight yards.

Barca imposed a weak response, but Sergi Roberto should given the Spanish side an equalizer when he prodded a cross just wide of the post.

Bayern remained in control though, as Tomas Muller’s long-range effort clipped the crossbar. Guardiola’s side continued their pressure as the match moved into the second half, with Ribery forcing Barca’s substitute goalkeeper Oier into a low save. Mandzukic then had his effort blocked by Oier, before Diego Contendo beat the offside trap and cut it back to Mandzukic to tap from close range minutes before the end of the match. Barca could not muster a response to the second goal, and Bayern saw out the remaining minutes to win the match 2-0.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.