Champions League team news and preview: Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

Barcelona's quarter-final meeting with Bayern Munich represents the last European heavyweight dust up of the season, as if neither of these two sides win the Champions League we are guaranteed a first-time winner in the competition. In many ways that is a shame but in other ways that means a break from the norm.

Looking ahead to Friday's nights mouthwatering clash between the two sides, the first in five years, we have everything you need to know about the match in one place, including kick-off time, where you can watch it and all the pertinent team news.

When is kick off?
Friday 14th August, 20:00 GMT
Where is the match?
Estadio da Luz, Lisbon (Portugal)
Where can I watch it?
BT Sport 1 / BT Sport Extra 1 / BT Sport Ultimate

How they qualified

Many felt a shock was on the cards for Barcelona when they hosted Napoli in the return leg of their last 16 tie following a 1-1 draw in Italy before the break. However, the LaLiga giants romped home to a 3-1 victory and 4-2 aggregate win. Every goal was scored by someone different, with Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne grabbing Napoli's goals and Antoine Griezmann, Clement Lenglet, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez netting for Barcelona.

Bayern Munich made light work of their last 16 affair with Premier League side Chelsea. Hansi Flick's side basically had the tie done after the first leg after beating Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge back in February but they got the business done in Munich with a 4-1 victory last week. Robert Lewandowski played a direct hand in all seven goals Bayern scored over the two legs

Team News

Barcelona were well down on midfielders when they faced Napoli last week but they welcome back Sergio Busuqets and Arturo Vidal from suspension here. The former will certainly start here, while Vidal could face his former club from the start. French duo Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umtiti are expected to miss out, while Griemann is tipped to start over teenage sensation Ansu Fati alongside Messi and Suarez in attack.

Bayern Munich are waiting on the fitness of Alphonso Davies and Kingsley Coman ahead of Friday's match. Davies sat out training in midweek as a precaution but is expected to be fine, but Coman is more of a concern after missing the second leg against Chelsea. Ivan Perisic is expected to deputise for Coman once more. Former Barcelona midfielder Thiago will start despite a summer move to Liverpool gathering pace. Leroy Sane is ineligible to play as he is a 2020/21 signing.

Predicted XIs

Barcelona (433): Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; De Jong, Busquets, Rakitic; Messi, Suarez, Griezmann

Bayern Munich (4231): Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Goretzka, Thiago; Gnabry, Muller, Perisic; Lewandowski

Key Battle - Lionel Messi vs Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are two and one, respectively, in the WhoScored Champions League ratings for the 2019/20 campaign. Messi has played a direct hand in six goals in seven games and averages more dribbles per 90 (2+ appearances) than any other player in the competition (8.5), while Lewandowski has played a direct hand in 17 goals in just seven games (13 goals, four assists).

Both would have been in the running for this year's Ballon d'Or had it not been cancelled and they will have a big say on how this one-legged affair is decided with a place in the last four at stake. Messi has four goals in five meetings with Bayern in the Champions League, while Lewandowski has scored once from just two previous encounters with Barcelona. The pressure is on Messi more so, as Barcelona have floundered so much this season to the point where there reliance on him is greater than it has arguably ever been, whereas Lewandowski at least has plenty in support.

Prediction: Barcelona 1-3 Bayern Munich