Barcelona were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Xavi’s team should have won at Bayern Munich, but instead went without a chance: 3-0. As a result, Barça finish in third place behind Benfica, which itself easily won against Dynamo Kiev (2-0). Barcelona must continue in the Europa League, while Benfica winters together with Bayern in the Champions League. Benfica also receives a cargo load of coefficient points for Portugal, which will reduce the virtual backlog to the Netherlands over the position from next year to 0.5 point.
Bayern Munich – Barcelona 3-0
Barcelona entered in a 4-3-3 formation, with Sergiño Dest, Memphis Depay and Ousmane Dembélé as attackers. For the latter it was his first starting place of the season. Bayern Munich did not spare themselves and appeared at the kick-off with Robert Lewandowski, Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman, among others. Both teams kept each other even in the opening phase. Dembélé suddenly created a threat after twenty minutes with a shot, but the ball went over. Barça then lost Jordi Alba, who had to drop out with an injury.
The ??????????? Thomas Müller CL goal! ??
The Barça teasing is hurting the club again: 1-0 to Bayern in the Allianz Arena ???
Xavi and co now need two goals to continue ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #BAYBAR pic.twitter.com/nvmO8usQeE
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) December 8, 2021
Bayern came closer to scoring seven minutes later. Thomas Müller gave the ball low to the completely free Lewandowski, who was denied a tap by good intervention by Marc-André ter Stegen. Minutes later, the Barça goalkeeper had no answer to a header from Müller, who took advantage of a superb cross from Lewandowski: 1-0. The ball appeared to be cleared by Ronald Araújo, but goal-line technology confirmed the goal. It got worse for Barcelona just before half-time, when Ter Stegen let in a sustainable-looking long shot from Sané: 2-0.
It’s raining beauties in the billion-dollar ball tonight! ??
Leroy Sané hits the mark beautifully from a distance, although Ter Stegen does not go completely free.. ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #BAYBAR pic.twitter.com/NPWje5k0LV— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) December 8, 2021
Immediately after the break, Sané should have made it 3-0, but the wing striker was unable to tap the ball into an empty goal from very close by and just gave it back to Ter Stegen. In the 62nd minute Jamal Musiala did manage to make an easy goal. The midfielder did that after a good job by Alphonso Davies, who passed the ball just before the back line: 3-0. Depay grabbed his hamstring in injury time, but remained on the field.
Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv 2-0
Benfica actually decided the game within 22 minutes. After more than fifteen minutes, a low cross from João Mário’s back line was simply typed in by Roman Yaremchuk: 1-0. Then the Portuguese were helped by Benjamin Verbic, who launched Gilberto back with a clumsy tap. The right winger was released in front of the goal and finished off coolly: 2-0. Benfica then let the reins loose to the frustration of his own spectators. Sergiy Sydorchuk and Oleksandr Tymchyk made promising attempts on behalf of Kiev after the break, but the team from Lisbon stayed on their feet quite easily.