Barcelona 2-8 Bayern Munich: 10 talking points from the historic night

Massive squad overhaul beckons Barca

Barcelona’s poor season ended in the most catastrophic way possible, and the ramifications of this will be seismic. Club president Josep Bartomeu hinted at plenty of changes when he said “announcements will be made” in his post-match interview, and only sacking Setien, which will be announced soon, won’t resolve the incoherent mess that the club finds itself in.

There’s plenty of deadwood in the squad which has to be rooted out too. Stalwarts such as Suarez, Pique, Busquets, Rakitic, and Alba are all aging, while there’s the issue of expensive flops in Griezmann, Dembele, and even Coutinho, all of whom have accounted for a staggering waste of money. Barca’s problems run really deep, and a massive overhaul beckons. It’s going to be a long summer had for the club and its players alike.

Bayern’s defense is shaky

Despite the resounding victory, not everything went right for Hansi Flick’s side, who left too many gaps at the back, something which could be exploited by a better side like Manchester City, who have quality wingers to make them pay for it. During the early exchanges, the Catalans managed to probe the gaping holes with some incisive through balls. Kimmich’s propensity to drive forward left the back four exposed whereas Boateng and Alaba, who also scored an own goal, weren’t particularly solid either. Against the more potent likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, and Raheem Sterling, the high line can be exposed. This is something Bayern must work on.

Messi deserves better

Frankly, the skipper wasn’t at his scintillating best last night – he barely got a whiff of the ball, let alone have a shot on target – but it’s becoming a painful recurring theme for his teammates to let him down too, and how.

He has carried this team as much as he could but if Barcelona is to go all the way, whether in the Champions League or La Liga, the whole team has to step up, and last night’s humiliation was an example of the remarkable disservice the club has been doing to its greatest ever player.

Rumors of Messi exiting this summer have already been doing the rounds and last night’s capitulation might just be the straw that breaks Messi’s back. He deserves better.

What did you make of Barcelona’s shocking display at the hands of Bayern Munich?