Barcelona Pins Hope on Champions League for a Season Turnaround

In Barcelona, there’s a cautious approach to managing expectations, learning from the pitfalls that plagued the team this season. However, internally, there’s a growing sense that, at present, the Champions League—the competition, not necessarily the title—is the most realistic path to rekindling the excitement among Barcelona fans.

The Catalan club is far from waving the white flag prematurely in the LaLiga battle. In fact, a stretch of the calendar is approaching where both Girona and Real Madrid might drop points. Nevertheless, the stark reality is that Barcelona is 10 points behind Real Madrid and 11 behind Girona, who have played one more game. Defending the title has become a highly challenging mission, primarily because it would require multiple slip-ups from the two teams currently leading the race.

A different narrative unfolds in the Champions League, a competition that rewards moments of brilliance rather than season-long consistency. Throughout this century, Barcelona has experienced the unpredictable nature of the tournament. Despite impressive campaigns, knockout rounds, where it’s do-or-die, have their own rules, and a single misstep can shatter all predictions.

High or Precarious Drop Against Napoli Given this scenario, the club is convinced that the continental competition has the potential to revive the spirits of a currently disheartened fan base and a squad that, at times, underestimates its true capabilities. The clash against Napoli will be tough, but Barcelona is the favorite and has the return leg at Montjuïc. In this double encounter, the energy of the youth combined with the experience of the veterans should be the perfect blend to advance to the quarterfinals.

If they secure a spot among the top eight, Barcelona believes the team’s intensity will rise, as the group will have added motivation to keep pushing forward. Everyone will vie for a spot in the starting eleven, making internal competition the coaching staff’s best ally. The fear, however, is an exit in the round of 16, leading to a lackluster performance from the squad, jeopardizing even the qualification for the next Champions League.

The quarterfinals take place in April, and the draw could play a crucial role. Club sources admit that being paired with Manchester City would require a miracle to advance but emphasize that there are also beatable opponents in the draw, especially the winner of the Dortmund-PSV matchup. In such a scenario, the team would have a real chance to reach the top four in the continent.

No Pressure if they Advance Naturally, considering the team’s defensive issues, the club stresses that the current priority is to shore up the defense. Any speculation is futile if the team doesn’t at least approach the defensive solidity achieved last season. If that happens in the coming weeks and they reach the quarterfinals, the confidence level will be different. Moreover, this team has faced so much criticism that Barcelona would have little pressure in the quarterfinals. After all, one cannot die twice, and there are those who have prematurely written off Xavi’s team on several occasions.

Finally, the club also reminds everyone that in Champions League knockout stages, it’s not always the better team that wins, but the one that makes fewer mistakes in 180 minutes. Having experienced the opposite role in recent years, now, without the burden of favoritism, managing emotions could be different. What pressure would Barcelona face if they traveled to London to face Arsenal in the quarterfinal second leg after drawing 0-0 or 1-1 in Montjuïc? Xavi’s ensemble has very little to lose and believes it can capitalize on that advantage.