Xavi faces his biggest test against the might of Bayern Munich

I hope those opposed to bullfighting will forgive me, but the example is relevant in this case: in the world of bullfighting, it is understood that a matador genuinely becomes a master of his profession when he is lauded at Las Ventas in Madrid, the biggest stage of them all. That is how I see Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández today, facing the test that will confirm if he is a coach of sufficient guile to return Barcelona to the summits that the Camp Nou club were accustomed to scaling not too long ago. Bayern Munich are a scourge for Spanish sides, so often viewed with understandable fear by Madridistas but also a bête noire for Barça, who in 13 games against the German giants have only won twice, suffering nine defeats including the 8-2 thrashing in Lisbon that signified the end of an era.

Xavi focused on breaking Barcelona’s Munich duck

I have the feeling that everything Xavi has done in Barcelona’s past few games has been in order to emerge victorious from this fixture. He has constructed an attacking side spearheaded by the tremendous Robert Lewandowski, who is fed by two exceptional wingers in Ousmane Dembélé and Raphinha, backed by Luis Enrique’s preferred Spain midfield of Sergio Busquets, Pedri and Gavi. It is further back that doubts persist. There is a lack of solidity in Barça’s back four, a new-look defence that is unsettled and, if you’ll pardon me again, a little too clean-cut. It is generally assumed that Jules Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Eric Garcia and one of Marcos Alonso, Balde or Jordi Alba will start. It could be that Xavi will choose to offer a little more protection by playing Frenkie de Jong with Gavi as a false winger at the expense of Raphinha, but I think that’s unlikely.

Bayern have been held to three draws in the Bundesliga so far this season, which has led to rumblings of discontent around Julian Nagelsmann that were assuaged somewhat by the 2-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan last week. Bayern’s big summer signing was Sadio Mané, but looking at the form Lewandowski has been in since he arrived at Barça he will be of less concern than the former Munich striker. All in all, this fixture is the pick of the midweek European games with the added interest of both managers facing a stern test. And on another note of intrigue, Xavi took 25 players with him to Germany but only name 23 in his squad, so he will have to leave two out. One will surely be youth teamer Pablo Torré, but the other? Jordi Alba, Pique, Sergi Roberto, Balde…? Whoever it is, it will be a clue as to the future.