Bayern

Bayern Munich, for years, was FC Barcelona’s Bestia Negra, the Black Beast, the German big that even Barca could not conquer.

Spanish media as Champions League defeats amassed, and leant in as Barcelona fell away from its early-2010s finest.

The Catalan membership had bumbled by the ultimate years of the Lionel Messi period. , it had slipped right into a shortsighted, seemingly precarious state. It spent a lot of the previous 5 seasons languishing under soccer’s elite. It gained La Liga solely as soon as throughout that interval. It could not progress previous the Champions League quarters. And 5 consecutive beatdowns by Bayern — by scores of 8-2, 3-0, 3-0, 2-0, 3-0 — epitomized its decline.

So it was becoming that, on Wednesday, a beatdown of Bayern turned the perfect proof but of Barca’s resurgence.

The Blaugrana beat Bayern 4-1 within the Champions League’s first part, and showcased the dynamic soccer that has them atop La Liga — forward of this season’s first Clásico, Saturday at Actual Madrid.

They showcased it within the very first minute Wednesday at their non permanent residence stadium, Montjuïc. Raphinha, whose place within the workforce as soon as felt like proof of Barca’s decay, completed off a slick, energetic transfer together with his first of three objectives on the night time.

On the stability of play, Barca wasn’t three objectives or worlds higher than Bayern. Harry Kane had a objective disallowed by a marginal offside. Bayern bombarded the Barca again line with assault after assault all through a breakneck first half.

However by the second half, olés have been ringing.

And Barca was certainly higher — than Bayern, and than another Barca workforce of the 2020s.

Its white-hot begin in La Liga is proof that Wednesday wasn’t a fluke. And Wednesday was proof that the La Liga type, largely produced in opposition to lesser opposition, is sustainable.

Barcelona would not simply stand tall in first place, three factors forward of Actual Madrid. It has already bagged 33 objectives. Robert Lewandowski — scorer of the (lucky) second objective in opposition to Bayern — has already scored 12 within the league, and 15 in all competitions.

Lewandowski is the pinnacle of a multi-faceted beast that, on paper, would not look all that completely different from final season’s. Its outcomes, although, have been. Most of its victories have been deserved and complete. Its Anticipated Aim differential is already +15.2, greater than six objectives higher than another La Liga workforce.

Barca made just one offseason signing, Dani Olmo. However its famed academy has churned out one other wave of kids who’re propelling this turnaround: ahead Lamine Yamal (17), midfielders Marc Casadó (21) and Pedri (21), defender Pau Cubarsí (17) and extra. Gavi (20), a Spanish nationwide workforce starter as a teen, has returned after . Fermín López, Ansu Fati and different locals are additionally concerned.

And steering all of them is Hansi Flick, a German supervisor who — and been embraced by — Catalunya.

Flick was the person on the helm of the Bayern Munich workforce that beat Barca 8-2, and gained the Champions League, in 2020. That sport alone made such an impression on the Barcelona hierarchy that it contributed to his hiring this previous summer time, after .

Xavi, in some ways, deserves some credit score for the current upturn. However Flick’s influence has been on the spot. He has valued the academy children. He has empowered a bunch of oft-criticized veterans. He has molded them right into a contender for a number of trophies, into workforce that performs with aptitude and poise, and into blossoming unit that, on Wednesday, broke down the Bayern beast.

Subsequent up is the archrival, the reigning Spanish and European champion, Actual Madrid (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+). However as El Clásico awaits, one conclusion is already clear: Barca is again.