Barcelona and Bayern Munich will lock horns on Tuesday in a tantalising Champions League group game at Camp Nou.
It will be the first meeting between these sides since last August in Lisbon, when they served up a 10-goal contest that will live long in the memory – although that's something Barca fans must wish were not so.
Bayern were 8-2 winners in that quarter-final, utterly dismantling a Barca side who looked increasingly lost at sea with every goal that went in. It was a match with seismic repercussions, too: while the Bundesliga giants went on to win the treble, Barca sacked head coach Quique Setien, Lionel Messi asked to leave and the end of Josep Maria Bartomeu's presidency was hurried along.
It was also a statistical outlier in terms of more than a mere (massively) one-sided scoreline...
31 minutes of infamy
It was 1-1 after just seven minutes, a David Alaba own goal cancelling out Thomas Muller's opener, but that was about as close as the contest ever got.
Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry and Muller again scored before the break. It was the first time a team had conceded four goals in the first half of a Champions League knockout match for five years, and the fact all four of Bayern's first goals came inside 31 minutes was a record in the competition.
Luis Suarez got a goal back, but the game quickly descended into farce for Barca, with Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski and Philippe Coutinho – on loan from the Catalans – adding to the scoresheet. It meant Bayern became the first team to score eight times in a knockout game in the modern competition, as Barca conceded eight goals for the first time since an 8-0 Copa del Rey loss to Sevilla in 1946.
Expect the unexpected
Barca faced 26 shots in total, the most they have ever faced in a Champions League match along with a game against Bayer Leverkusen in December 2015, when they had already won their group. Their expected goals against figure of 5.72 was by far the highest they have posted in a game in this competition, the nearest being 3.44 against Borussia Dortmund in the group stages. Perhaps that was a warning...
It was certainly a game to forget for Marc-Andre ter Stegen in Barca's goal. He had never before conceded more than four in a Champions League match for the Catalans, saving just 38 per cent of Bayern's attempts. By contrast, he saved all but one of the 26 shots Leverkusen had in that game six years ago.
Big hero six
Of course, it was an occasion to savour for Bayern and their forwards. Muller's double took him to six goals in five games against Barca, more than any other player has managed in the Champions League (Andriy Shevchenko scored five against them). It also took the Germany international to 23 career goals in the knockout phase, a tally at the time bettered only by Messi (47) and Cristiano Ronaldo (67).
Lewandowski's goal took him to 50 in the competition for Bayern in just 60 matches. Ronaldo is the only player to have achieved the milestone in fewer games for a single side, having done so in 50 appearances for Madrid. Lewandowski also became the first Bayern player to score in eight consecutive games in the tournament, and the fifth overall.
Nelson's solemn
Even Coutinho enjoyed himself against the club where he has barely made an impact since his mega-money move from Liverpool. He has only ever scored more in a single Champions League game once – a hat-trick for Liverpool against Spartak Moscow in 2017 – and he had only managed four goals in his previous 20 appearances in the competition.
For Barca, the game descended into disjointed chaos after that end-to-end opening. Suarez ended up touching the ball in his own box as often as he did in Bayern's (three times), while Nelson Semedo endured a torrid outing a right-back, giving up possession 10 times and being dribbled past on three occasions. On average, he completed fewer than three passes for every one instance he lost the ball.
As for Messi, who probably thought this would be his last Champions League game for his boyhood club, he managed just 59 touches of the ball, his lowest figure in a game he started since the 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in February 2017. In the end, Bayern scored more goals than Barca managed shots (seven) in the contest.
Bucks confident of returning to the top after Lillard trade
Damian Lillard will be tasked with helping the Milwaukee Bucks return to the top of the NBA after his trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Star guard Lillard signed for the Bucks on Wednesday in a three-way trade – which also included the Phoenix Suns – that saw Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara on the move too.
Lillard leaves Portland after 11 years with the Trail Blazers. He is a seven-time All-Star and enjoyed a career-best season in 2022-23, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists, though he did sit out the final month of the season due to injury.
Now, the Bucks – the 2021 NBA Champions – will be hoping that Lillard can combine with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to push them towards another title, following a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in last season's playoffs.
Fast Fact
Despite missing the last 10 games of the season, Lillard (1,866) was Portland's highest points scorer last term by over 500, with Anfernee Simons next best for the Trail Blazers with 1,306.
Lillard a difference-maker
"His character, competitiveness, talent and experience complement our group and gives us the best chance to win at the very highest level as we create new memories together," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said of Lillard.
So, does Lillard have what it takes to make the difference for the Bucks?
Lillard leaves Portland as a franchise great. He ranks first in team history in points and three-pointers and second in assists. Including the playoffs, he had 17 games with 50+ points for the Blazers. All other players in franchise history have only combined for seven 50-point games. He is a big-game player, and he should help ease the burden on Antetokounmpo.
Xavi wants Barcelona to make defensive improvements against Sevilla
Barcelona boss Xavi wants his side to defend better as they prepare for their LaLiga clash with Sevilla on Friday.
Barca are currently unbeaten in the league so far this term but have conceded four goals in their last two games, coming from behind to beat Celta Vigo 3-2 before a 2-2 draw with Mallorca.
Despite their recent defensive flaws, Xavi’s side have scored 18 goals, which is the joint most in the division alongside league leaders Girona.
The Barca boss acknowledged those differences but thinks his side have to improve at the back.
He said: “We might not be as brilliant in defence as we were last season.
“We need to improve our pressure after losing the ball, press higher up the pitch, concentrate a bit harder.
“But we have got better up front. We created six clear chances against Mallorca and I think that’s good baggage.”
The Catalan giants will face a Sevilla side who, after a tough start to the campaign, are starting to show their true colours and are currently unbeaten in three.
Xavi praised their opponents on Friday and has called on the home fans to be the 12th man.
He added: “Sevilla are the defending Europa League champions and a difficult team to play.
“They’re solid, they like to play down the wings and play a direct, vertical game. But we’re at home.
“We need the fans and the atmosphere at Montjuic to get back on the winning track.”
A win for Barcelona could take them top of the league temporarily before the top two, Girona and Real Madrid, face each other on Saturday.
Xavi is not surprised by how well current league leaders Girona are doing.
He continued: “It’s no surprise to me because they have been doing things well at that club for several years.”
Chaos at Scunthorpe – Owner ends funding with club forced to leave Glanford Park
The future of Scunthorpe has taken another bleak turn after owner David Hilton decided to withdraw his funding, with the club forced to play away from their Glanford Park home.
Now plying their trade in the National League North, Scunthorpe were in the Championship just 13 years ago but now face the continued, very real threat of extinction.
To only complicate matters further, following an announcement they would leave Glanford Park to play their home games at Gainsborough Trinity, their near-neighbours from the Northern League insisted that statement was issued without their “knowledge or consent”.
The Iron confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Hilton had opted to pull his money out of the beleaguered club.
“The club owner and chairman has recently notified the board of directors of his decision to withdraw his funding from the club moving forward,” a statement read.
“He has also notified them that he feels his position at the club is untenable, and is actively seeking a way out. Based on this information, both Ian Dawson and Tahina Akther have decided to resign from their positions with immediate affect.
“We can confirm that numerous parties have made contact with the club with a view to taking over, but faced with stadium issues, numerous litigation proceedings and winding up petitions no potential purchasers are looking to move forward. This includes the consortium of local business people and supporters.
“The chairman and remaining board members have now set out a plan in order to very quickly make the club sustainable.”
The statement went on to confirm they would host their upcoming home games against Buxton and Brackley Town at Glanford Park before relocating due to a dispute with land owners Coolsilk, run by former Scunthorpe owner Peter Swann.
“The club will vacate Glanford Park after the Brackley Town fixture and fulfill the season’s fixtures across at Gainsborough Trinity,” the statement continued.
“This is not a day-to-day cost cutting exercise. This is due to Coolsilk refusing to engage with the club and demanding vacant possession before they will begin to do so.
“This is also due to the risk the club faces of being liable for hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees and back dated market rent, along with significant monthly legal costs of our own that will certainly impact any attempts to create sustainability.
“In any case, Coolsilk own the property and will undoubtedly get possession back at some point, and therefore it is no longer viable without the financial support of the chairman to put the club at risk with such a gamble to merely guarantee a few extra months at the stadium.”
Despite announcing they would play their games 16 miles away at the Gainsborough Martin & Co Arena – Trinity insist they have not signed off on any such agreement.
“Gainsborough Trinity FC are aware of a statement issued today by Scunthorpe United,” they said in their own statement.
“This statement was issued without the knowledge or consent of Gainsborough Trinity.
“Whilst the club has always been clear that any requests from Scunthorpe United to play fixtures at the KAL Group Stadium would be considered, this would always have to be done by due process which would involve both clubs and the ground owner.”
Scunthorpe currently sit fourth in the National League North and have lost just one of their opening nine league games of the campaign.
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