Barcelona vs PSG and Arsenal vs Bayern Munich, the First Encounters

 

The first encounters of Barcelona vs PSG and Arsenal vs Bayern Munich interestingly resulted in a disappointing draw for the hosts.

The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals is underway with fairly satisfactory results on the road for Barcelona and Bayern Munich. They will be more confident for the second leg this week as both are ready to knock out their oppositions.

However, given their first meeting in history, Blaugrana and Die Roten should be concerned, as PSG and Arsenal still have the potential to turn the tables. Here are both of their first encounters in the continental top flight competition.

Barcelona vs PSG (Champions Cup 1994/95)

The Catalan giant was not at their best in the 1994/95 season. They were struggling in La Liga and barely progressed to the quarterfinals. They only advanced as a runners-up of group A. On the other hand, Le Parisien stole the show at the group stage after toppling Bayern in group B and defeated the German champions in both fixtures. It's no surprise that they were tipped as favourites.

The first leg was held in Camp Nou. The game was tight as both sides traded attacks and chances. Ronald Koeman and Co were forced to work hard to prevent PSG from exposing their defensive frailties. At the first half, both had opportunities from long range shots. Jose Maria Bakero’s attempt was denied, whereas two PSG’s shots flew slightly wide. They eventually managed to take the lead from their new signings, Igor Korneev. The Russian right winger found the back of the net after PSG shot stopper was unable to keep out his long shot from the right side of the penalty box. Yet, Barcelona’s advantage did not last long. Six minutes later, PSG’s main goalscorer, George Weah, bagged an equalizer through his header six minutes later. Both had chances to double their lead but none could hit their target. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Match statistics:

	Barcelona	PSG
Shots on goal (approx.)	2	1
Shots off target (approx.)	2	4
Saves (approx.)	1	1
Blocks (approx.)	?	?

 In the reverse fixture, the French champions finally had their way and saw off  Barcelona as they thumped Johan Cryuff’s men 2-1. George Weah and Co advanced to Champions Cup semifinal for the first time. Unfortunately, their hope to reach the final dashed after losing to the reigning champions, AC Milan, in both fixtures.

Arsenal vs Bayern Munich (UEFA Champions 

League 2000/01)

The Gunners and Die Roten had to square off in the second phase of group stage. The teams were forced to go through even more games to reach the summit with the inclusion of second group stage in its tournament format. The teams were bound to play 16 games to the final, compared to 12 matches in the current format or 14 fixtures in the next format starting form next season.

Their first encounter was contested in Arsenal’s old legendary stadium, Highbury. Arsene Wenger used 4-4-2 formation but did not field Dennis Bergkamp at all. The non-Flying Dutchman was not in form in the past few games prior to the match. The Frenchboss opted to pair up Thierry Henry and Nwankwo Kanu upfront. Meanwhile, Bayern under Ottmar Hizfield deployed Swiss playmaker, Ciriaco Sforza as a libero in a 3-3-1-3 formation.

At the first half, The Gunners quickly took the initiative to knock on the door. It paid off instantly as Thierry Henry opened the scoring in the 4^th minute. Bayern, on the other hand, were unable to move forward. The German side barely create chances. At the second half, the visitors slowly took control of the game as Paulo Sergio came off the bench to replace Willy Sagnol. Yet, they conceded again as Nwankwo Kanu doubled their lead. Die Roeten soon scored a lifeline through Michael Tarnat, which infuriated Wenger in the dugout. They finally managed to level the scoreline as Mehmet Scholl put his name on the scoresheet through his unusual free kick. Both could only share spoils in a 2-2 draw.

Match statistics:

	Arsenal	Bayern Munich
Shots on goal (approx.)	5	2
Shots off target (approx.)	5	5
Saves (approx.)	1	1
Blocks (approx.)	1	3

 In the reverse fixture, Stefan Effenberg and Co picked up a 1-0 win at home. Both teams eventually qualified to the knockout stage. The Bundesliga giant went all the way to the final and clinched their fourth title after beating Valencia on penalties in Milan. Meanwhile, The Gunners’ campaign ended at the quarterfinals. The North Londoners failed to ease past Los Ches as they were eliminated by the away goal rules.