But across the border, in Munich, something historic was happening. Bayern Munich hosted Barcelona.
At the time, Barcelona were still considered the measuring stick of world football. Even in a slightly declining phase, a 7-0 aggregate defeat seemed impossible. But that is exactly what happened. Bayern won the first leg 4-0, a scoreline that flattered Barcelona. It was a systematic dismantling. Bayern used width—Ribéry on one side, Robben on the other—to stretch Barcelona’s narrow defense. Thomas Müller acted as the conductor, while Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez bullied the Barca midfield. 2012/13 champions league