One-off format may favour Barca
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Lionel Messi jumping on Clement Lenglet after the Frenchman opens accounts for Barcelona against Napoli, as Luis Suarez joins in. Coach Quique Setien's future hinges on them beating Bayern next.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BARCELONA • If Quique Setien is to remain in the Barcelona hot seat beyond this summer, he will have to guide his side past Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
That is the task facing the Catalan giants after they beat Napoli 3-1 on Saturday to progress to the quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate.
It was a far from convincing display at the Nou Camp but first-half goals from Clement Lenglet, captain Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez sent Barca on their way into the "Final Eight" tournament in Lisbon.
Their reward is a blockbuster clash with the eight-time defending German champions on Friday. Bayern romped into the last eight with a 4-1 rout of Chelsea on Saturday, going through 7-1 on aggregate, but Setien is not overawed by their next opponents.
Critics have installed the Bavarians as favourites, pointing out that Napoli dominated the second half, only for poor finishing to cost them as they failed to add to Lorenzo Insigne's penalty.
Barca's recently concluded domestic campaign has also been particularly underwhelming and they remain in danger of finishing trophyless for the first time since 2008.
However, Setien has insisted his side should not be underestimated against Bayern, who in contrast, swept to a domestic double.
"It will be tough for us because they've had an excellent season and dominated their tie," he said. "It will be difficult for us but also for them. They are an excellent team, but so are we."
What may count in Barca's favour is that the Champions League has been changed to a knockout format from the last eight, with the previous two-legged ties ditched because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Suarez said: "In a one-off game, anyone has a chance, so it's perfectly balanced, 50-50. Bayern are a great team, one of the candidates to win the competition, but it's 11 v 11 over 90 minutes."
His side have been haunted in the past two years, capitulating to Roma and Liverpool respectively despite holding sizeable first-leg leads, so Sergi Roberto is hopeful the reformatting of the tournament will work to their advantage.
"Every game is its own different world and that is true now more than ever," he said. "There are no favourites in this Champions League, anyone can win or lose a one-off game. Every match will feel like a final so we are going to have to be very concentrated."
REUTERS