Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona: Match underway
We're underway from the Allianz Arena, where Bayern Munich will expect to grab the upper hand in their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie against Barcelona. Bayern have been spectacular in the first legs of their first two ties, while Barcelona have been anything but. They've been good enough to progress against Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan after poor starts, but if they lose without getting an away goal at the Allianz, they'll have trouble turning that result around.
The biggest thing to watch for from the Blaugrana is the play of Marc Bartra early on. With Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Adriano out and Eric Abidal still working his way back to top form, Bartra has been thrown into the fire. The talented 22-year-old isn't a completely unknown quantity -- he has 22 appearances for Barcelona and has been first choice in the Segunda since he was a teenager -- but he's never started a game of this magnitude.
For Bayern, keep an eye on the way Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger play. Their play is the key to Bayern's success, and the way that they play should be indicative of the team's overall strategy. Are they aggressive in the tackle or standing off? Pressing or dropping deep? Playing conservative passes or aggressive ones? Bayern can play just about any way they want, and those two players should signal what Jupp Heynckes' goals in the early part of the match will be.
