Barcelona players are ready to prove Bayern's arrogance is misguided
The squad have been surprised by some of the comments from high-ranking Bayern officials and former players in the build up to this match
The tone of the declarations made by former Bayern Munich players and current directors has surprised many inside Barcelona's dressing room. Going into the Champions League quarter-final clash, the players feel labelling Bayern as "clear favourites" is underestimating the quality in Barça's ranks.
Lothar Matthaus was the first to test the waters. "Bayern will have to make a lot of mistakes if they are going to lose against Barça." A day later and he went even further: "Barça don't worry me. They aren't what they used to be."
Another former Bayern player, Giovane Elbar, claimed: "Robert Lewandowski is better than Messi right now."
But these types of statements aren't limited to just former players. The current Bayern president, Karl Heinz Rummenigge, has said Marc-Andre ter Stegen "isn't world-class" when asked to compare the Barça stopper with Manuel Neuer.
It almost feels like a deliberate tactic to try and unsettle Barça after a disappointing LaLiga campaign, something out of the Jose Mourinho handbook.
Having come up against these type of 'tactics' before, Barça know the solution isn't to respond in the media but to prove themselves on the pitch. The belief amongst the dressing room is that the match can only be won if they produce the right performance, not by entering into a war of words with the German side's hierarchy.
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