Futbol Club Barcelona and Bayern Munich lock horns with each other tonight in the Quarter Finals of the 2019/20 UEFA Champion’s League in Lisbon. Here are 7 footballers who have represented both BARCELONA and BAYERN MUNICH in their careers.
MARK HUGHES
Barcelona signed the versatile Welshman from Manchester United in 1986. The transfer fee was 2 Millions. He could play as a Striker as well as a Midfielder. The then Barcelona Coach Terry Venables wanted to form a strike partnership of him and Gary Lineker. Lineker was signed from Everton for 2.8 Millions. Unfortunately, Mark Hughes could not perform well. He scored just 5 goals in 35 appearances. Hughes left on loan to Bayern Munich in the succeeding season. He had a better yet average season in Bavaria. He returned with 7 goals in 23 matches. In May 1988, he returned to Manchester United for a then club record fee of 1.8 Millions.
Fun Fact: On 11 November 1987, he played two competitive matches in one day. First for Wales against Czechoslovakia in Prague in a Euro 1988 Qualifier. Then appearing as a substitute for Bayern against Borussia Monchengladbach.
FC Barcelona: 1986-1987.
Bayern Munich: 1987-1988 (On Loan from Barcelona).
PATRIK ANDERSSON
The Swedish Centre Back was a pivotal figure at Borussia Monchengladbach. He played 199 matches for them before joining Bayern Munich in 1999 for 3 Millions. The reason being the deterioration in Gladbach’s performances. The Swedish defender played for Bayern for 2 seasons. He scored a last minute decisive goal against Hamburger in the 2000-01 season helping Bayern win the league. He also won the Champion’s League that season despite missing his penalty in the Final Shootout against Valencia. Andersson then moved to Barcelona in 2001 for a fee of 8 Millions. His time at the Catalonian club was largely affected by injuries. And he could only participate in 19 La Liga matches during his 3 year stay. He left for hometown Malmo on a free transfer in 2004 and announced his retirement a year later.
Bayern Munich: 1999-2001.
FC Barcelona: 2001-2004.
MARK VAN BOMMEL
Barcelona signed the Dutch holding midfielder on a free transfer from PSV Eindhoven. He was rotated in midfield with Xavi, Deco, Edmilson, Motta and Iniesta. Van Bommel made a total of 38 appearances in his only season at Barça contributing to 4 goals and 9 assists. He went on to win the league and Champion’s League that season. However, Van Bommel left for Bayern Munich in 2006 for a fee of 6 Millions. The transfer was largely impacted by Owen Hargreaves who was on the verge of departure but continued for another season. He remained an important part of Bayern’s team for 5 long years. And made a total of 187 appearances for the German giants. When Olivier Kahn retired in 2008, Mark Van Bommel was named as the Captain. He became the club’s first ever non-German captain in the process. He left Bayern for Milan in January 2011.
FC Barcelona: 2005-2006.
Bayern Munich: 2006-2011.
THIAGO ALCANTARA
Thiago arrived in Barcelona from Brazilian club Flamengo in 2005. He was only 14 years old at that time. Thiago joined Barcelona’s esteemed La Masia academy and made 58 appearances for Barcelona B. He made his first team debut for Barcelona in 2009, aged 18. And continued at Barcelona until 2013 appearing in exactly 100 matches. But the presence of Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Fabregas limited his game time. He soon grew frustrated. Signing Fabregas from Arsenal was Barça’s mistake and they lost one of their most gifted midfielders to Bayern There was a clause in his contract that his release clause would drastically drop if he did not play a certain amount of matches. He declined Manchester United and signed for Bayern Munich for a bargain price of 25 Millions in 2013.
Pep Guardiola was Bayern’s manager at that time and persuaded him to sign for them. Since then Thiago has gone on to make 232 appearances for the club from Munich, winning many accolades in the process. But he has been injury hit a bit during his stint. Certain reports suggest that this could be his final season at Bayern.
FC Barcelona: 2005-2013 (Including Youth Teams).
Bayern Munich: 2013-Present.
PEPE REINA
Another product of La Masia, the Spanish goalkeeper came through different youth levels. He is the son of former Barcelona goalkeeper Miguel Reina and joined the club in 1995, aged 13. Reina made his first team debut in December 2000 coming on as a substitute for Richard Dutruel. He made 49 appearances for club between 2000 and 2002. After signing German keeper Robert Enke, Barcelona told Reina that he was free to leave. He left for Villarreal. But it was during his time at Liverpool that he really shined. He spent 8 years in Merseyside notching up 394 appearances before joining Napoli on loan. In August 2014, he joined Bayern on a 3-year deal. But he could appear in only 3 matches during the entire season due to the presence of Manuel Neuer. In the succeeding season, he rejoined Napoli ending his one year spell with Bayern.
FC Barcelona: 1995-2002 (Including Youth Teams).
Bayern Munich: 2014-2015.
ARTURO VIDAL
The Chilean box to box midfielder joined Bayern Munich from Juventus in 2015 for a transfer fee worth 37 Millions. He made his debut in the DFL-Supercup against Wolfsburg coming on for Thiago Alcantara. Bayern lost the match on penalties but Vidal scored his spot kick. He spent 3 seasons with Bayern making 124 appearances, scoring 22 goals. And won the league in each of his three seasons.
He then moved to Barcelona at the beginning of the 2018/19 season. The transfer fee being 18 Millions. He signed a 3-year deal and has participated in 95 games for Barça thus far, scoring 11 times. With him entering into the last year of his contract and age not being on his side, this could be his final season at Barça .
Bayern Munich: 2015-2018.
FC Barcelona: 2018-Present.
PHILIPPE COUTINHO
Barcelona signed Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in January 2018 for a fee worth 145 Millions. He is the most expensive signing in the club’s 120 year history. But it neither worked out for the Brazilian nor for the club. He did not fit into the club’s style and structure. In his one and a half seasons at the club, he made 76 appearances. But he contributed to 21 goals and 11 assists. The 2018/19 season was poor by his former Liverpool standards. He could muster only 11 goals and 5 assists in 54 appearances, simply not worth the money Barcelona spent.
In August 2019, he joined Bayern Munich on a season long loan. The Bavarians paid a loan fee of 8.5 Millions and Coutinho’s wages. In his 35 appearances thus far, he has 9 goals and 8 assists to his name. His numbers and performances have improved at Bayern but still they refused to sign him for 120 Millions. He is due to return to Barcelona once the Champion’s League ends. A decision on his future is expected thereafter.
FC Barcelona: 2018-Present.
Bayern Munich: 2019-2020 (On Loan from Barcelona).
