It will always be said that Barcelona lost 0-3 in the Champions League second leg semifinal to Bayern Munich without Lionel Messi.
Coach Tito Vilanova had no other option but to keep him on the bench due to an injury.
But it must not be forgotten that Bayern Munich won 0-3 with coach Jupp Heynckes keeping a fully fit striker Mario Gomez on the bench without having to. Jupp could have brought on the lanky striker who has 74 goals in 112 club appearances since 2009 and piled on more misery on the Spanish giants.
But there was good reason for him not to do so. For they were already 4-0 up on the first leg. Scoring more was not important. Preventing Barcelona from scoring was more important. Score they did but unfortunately into their own net as Gerard Pique’s interception off Franck Ribery centre went off to add to the superb goals that Arjen Robben fired and Tomas Muller nodded.
Consequently, Jupp had only two strikers upfront with Muller being supported by Croatian Mario Mandzukic. Four midfielders roamed the length and breadth of the Nou Camp park. Defenders rarely ventured out of their positions and never allowed Barca to outnumber them in the defensive third.
Ribery and Robben played withdrawn roles as Schweinsteiger had the liberty of performing both his destructive and constructive duties.