‘I am convinced we are going to win’: Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the Catalan giants WILL beat Bayern Munich and avoid crashing out the Champions League in their crunch group match next month
- Joan Laporta, 59, believes the Catalans will secure victory at the Allianz Arena
- Barcelona travel to Bavaria to take on Bayern Munich in their final group match
- Should they lose, they need Benfica to slip up at home against Dynamo Kiev
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is ‘convinced’ his side will beat Bayern Munich in their final Champions League group game to progress to the last-16 of the competition.
Xavi‘s men travel to Bavaria on December 8 to take on the Bundesliga champions in a must win clash. Anything other than a victory for the Catalans, and they will be relying on Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev to cause an upset against Benfica in Lisbon.
The last time Barca participated in the Europa League was back in 2004, but Laporta is adamant Barcelona will pick up the result needed in Munich, and advance to the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite competition.
Joan Laporta is insistent Barcelona will defeat Bayern Munich in their final group match
Laporta is delighted to have Xavi (right) on board and believes his arrival has given fans a lift
‘Beating Bayern is something that can be achieved,’ Laporta told AS. ‘There is going to be a miracle, I am convinced that we are going to win.
‘Xavi is very motivated and very strong. I hope everything goes well for us, I think that at the moment Xavi’s arrival has generated a little respect from our opponents. They know we can do it again.’
Barcelona were outclassed by Julian Nagelsmann’s side in the reverse fixture back in September, suffering a 3-0 defeat. They also sit 7th in La Liga and have been far below their standards, most recently drawing 0-0 with Benfica at the Nou Camp on match day five of the Champions League.
Barcelona stars look dejected after a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich back in September
Results have been hard to find for Barca, who recently drew 0-0 with Benfica at the Nou Camp
Bayern are likely to field a weakened side against Xavi’s team given they have have already qualified for the knockout stages of the competition.
Nagelsmann’s team most recently defeated Dynamo 2-1 away from home last Tuesday, with Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman on the scoresheet.
The Bavarians are looking to pile more misery on Xavi and co. They memorably thrashed them 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final in the 2019-20 season at Benfica’s Estadio da Luz. The defeat was the Catalan club’s heaviest loss in 69 years and the biggest European disaster in their history.
Barca will advance should they beat Bayern in Germany. A draw or defeat, means they are dependant on Dynamo picking up at least a point in Portugal for the Catalan’s to progress.
