The Spanish media are stunned by Barcelona after Xavi’s team was eliminated early on Wednesday evening from the Champions League by Bayern Munich (3-0). The Catalans therefore miss the knockout phase of the billion-dollar ball for the first time in 21 years and continue their way in the Europa League. Frenkie de Jong and Marc-André ter Stegen, among others, have to pay the price. The goalkeeper was not completely clear with the second goal of the Germans.
Several Spanish newspapers cite the duel with Bayern from the summer of 2020, when Barca were treated to an 8-2 defeat in Lisbon. “Since then, the Catalans have been chasing the facts,” it sounds. “The nightmare started then and continues to this day, with the final low point being relegation to the Europa League. The humiliating evening in Portugal marked the end of a sporting era and exposed the current economic and sporting crisis. will take longer than expected as there are still players who don’t fit into project Xavi.”
“FC Barcelona showed all its shortcomings in the relegation from Europe’s elite,” writes Diario AS. The Spanish newspaper made a nice metaphor with the laws of nature. Bayern Munich put Barca aside like a tired tiger who is too lazy to hunt a young gazelle but does what nature expects of him. Barcelona, on the other hand, is going back to the dark times. No player was able to withstand the jaw blow of Bayern. Only Dembele did something magical now and then, but it was nothing more than a few sparks.”
ASH lashed out at Frenkie de Jong in a devastating way. The midfielder returned to the starting line-up against Bayern after being spared against Real Betis (0-1 loss), but was unable to make his mark. “Frenkie showed no personality in his game. Very reprehensible. His signature cost 86 million euros, but he plays as if he doesn’t care. A failure.” marca showed significantly more compassion for the midfielder. “He tried to block the midfield, but he lacked conviction and offensive determination.”
Huge knockout for Barca: ‘Were in a mess’
The early elimination from the Champions League has hit Catalonia hard.
Marc-André ter Stegen also had to pay for it ASH. The goalkeeper fired a long-range shot from Leroy Sané on the stroke of half-time to initiate the elimination. “He has been a ghost for quite some time. Immobile at Thomas Müller’s 1-0 and apathetic at Leroy Sane’s shot. He has long ceased to belong to the elite of the selection, as FC Barcelona is now no longer part of the elite of Europe.” For Memphis Depay, who barely appeared in the game, marca mild. “He barely had balls. He was locked up alone. Powerless. Desperate.”
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
According to Mundo Deportivo The task of converting is doomed to fail. “Barcelona had never won in Bavaria. In addition, the game was played behind closed doors, it snowed the whole game and it was below zero; a totally unusual climate which made the Barca job a little more complicated despite the fact that Nagelsmann’s men “They have more than done their homework. But they are German, competitive like few others. The intention has flooded Barca, which still have a long way to go to compete with the best. Xavi has a lot of work ahead of them.”
“Barcelona, sentenced to the Europa League, was dominated from start to finish by a German team that only half pressed the accelerator,” were the painful words of Sport. “Xavi tried to surprise with Ronald Araújo as right-back and Sergiño Destal’s winger, but that experiment failed miserably. Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane saw Barcelona as easy prey to devour. They went after the Catalans without a doubt. .”