Barcelona are set to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday, with significant attention on Hansi Flick as he prepares to face his former club.

Flick famously oversaw Bayern Munich's crushing 8-2 victory over Barcelona just four years ago. Now, in a dramatic twist of fate, he has taken charge of Barcelona, tasked with ushering in a new era of success for the Catalan giants after his appointment as head coach this summer.

So far, Flick has not disappointed, guiding Barça to their best start in recent years and developing a cohesive team eager to avenge that previous humiliation at the hands of Bayern. Ahead of this eagerly awaited contest, here’s a look at three pivotal individual battles that could define the outcome.

Iñigo Martínez vs Harry Kane

Despite conceding a few goals this season, Barcelona’s defensive resilience has been characterised by their ability to catch opposition forwards offside, largely thanks to the leadership of Iñigo Martínez.

Martínez's knack for intercepting passes and breaking up attacks, combined with his physical presence, will be crucial if Barcelona are to contain Harry Kane. The English striker has been Bayern’s primary attacking force, netting 13 goals across all competitions this season.

Kane’s intelligent movement and lethal finishing make him an ever-present danger. It will be up to Martínez to marshal Barça’s backline and prevent Kane from finding the space to unleash his talents.

Pedri vs Joshua Kimmich

The midfield battle between Pedri and Joshua Kimmich is poised to be one of the key matchups of the night.

Both players are renowned for their vision and passing ability, but they bring contrasting styles to the game. Pedri has been instrumental in Barcelona’s creativity this season, regularly providing incisive passes to create goal-scoring opportunities. His quick thinking and ability to exploit gaps in opposition defences make him a key asset for the Blaugrana under Flick.

On the other side, Kimmich is widely regarded as one of the world’s most complete midfielders. His combination of defensive discipline and playmaking prowess makes him the beating heart of Bayern Munich’s midfield.

Whoever dominates this midfield battle will likely dictate the flow of the match. Should Pedri continue his fine form, Barcelona will be able to exert pressure in the final third. However, if Kimmich controls proceedings, it could spell trouble for Barça’s hopes of dictating play.

Lamine Yamal vs Alphonso Davies

While the spotlight will undoubtedly be on Robert Lewandowski as he faces his former team, Barcelona’s young talent, Lamine Yamal, could prove to be their most potent attacking threat.

Yamal's battle with Bayern’s Alphonso Davies will be a fascinating contest of pace and skill. Davies, widely regarded as one of Europe’s best full-backs, is known for his speed and defensive capabilities. However, his tendency to leave space behind the defence could be exploited by Yamal’s quick dribbling and attacking prowess.

Davies often relies on his pace to recover ground when caught out of position, but Yamal’s ability to penetrate defensive lines could give Barcelona an edge. With Yamal’s agility and fearless approach, Wednesday’s clash presents a key opportunity for the youngster to shine on the big stage.