BBC Sport
Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal says his former side Bayern Munich are facing “the best team in the world” in the Champions League quarter-final, insisting it is “not Bayern v Messi — it is Bayern against Barcelona.”
Both Bayern and Barca are five-time winners of the European Cup — the only two previous winners still in the competition as they meet in Lisbon. Bayern were superb after lockdown to sweep to an eighth straight Bundesliga championship, while Barcelona failed to inspire this season, losing La Liga to Real Madrid. Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 13 goals in just seven Champions League appearances this season, averaging a goal every 47 minutes — the best minutes per goal ratio in a single campaign in the history of the competition.
Bayern coach Hansi Flick said: “We have a lot of respect for them because Barcelona have been for decades among the best teams in Europe. Messi has been the best player for several years now. We need to do it as a team. It is important to play smart against him.”