FC Barcelona hosted FC Bayern on matchday three of the UEFA Champions League.
Both teams, known for their aggressive and high-risk pressing styles, were set to deliver one of the most eventful evenings of football in a long time.
Our tactical analysis of the match offers analysis and insight into both teams high-pressing tactics, which set the tone for the contest we witnessed.
Barcelona operated in a nominal 4-2-3-1 formation, with Robert Lewandowski as a target man and the quick Raphinha on the left wing.
Under Vincent Kompanys coaching style, Bayern also played in a nominal 4-2-3-1, with Raphaël Guerreiro at right back and Joshua Kimmich in the holding midfield role.
A dynamic back-and-forth quickly developed, driven by both teams’ pressing and their high defensive lines.
Barcelona’s Build-Up Vs Bayern’s Attacking Pressing
Bayern pressed right from the first minute, as usual, with man-to-man orientation across the entire pitch.
Guerreiro pushed up against the opposing full-back, while Dayot Upamecano, on the ball-near side, defended against Barcelona’s left winger, Raphinha.
Barcelona’s build-up play was accordingly adapted to Bayern’s pressing.
The goal was to lure the opposing players in by using the numerical +1 advantage with the help of the goalkeeper, thereby creating more space behind the opponent.
By using opposing movements along Bayern’s high defensive line, Barcelona aimed to disrupt their man-marking and get in behind the defence.
Additionally, they sought to repeatedly pull the center-backs out of Bayern’s high defensive line.
This approach worked brilliantly in the very first minute.
Robert Lewandowski, dropping deep, was used by full-back Alejandro Balde as a target man, pulling centre-back Kim Min-jae out of position.
The overlapping midfielder, Pedri, was used as a layoff option while the No. 10, Fermín López, moved outward, and winger Raphinha cut inside to the last line.
This created a handover moment between Kimmich and Upamecano, who were operating on the last line, which was enough to play the deep-running Raphinha relatively free.
