Barcelona made gentle work of the inaugural Champions League league section as they secured computerized development to the final 16.
Ending second within the 36-team desk ensured that La Blaugrana would keep away from the uncertainty of the newly-formed play-off spherical, giving them some precious day off to relaxation and recuperate forward of their opening knockout tie of the marketing campaign.
Barcelona are but to find their adversaries for the final 16 however all will quickly develop into clear as Hansi Flick seems to be to assert his second profession European crown throughout his debut season in Catalonia.
Listed here are the edges Barcelona may face within the subsequent spherical of the Champions League.
Barcelona will return to the continent’s grandest stage subsequent month and can face both Paris Saint-Germain or Benfica within the final 16.
Determined by ultimate league section standings, the Catalan giants shall be drawn in opposition to the reigning Ligue 1 champions or Portuguese giants, with Liverpool – who have been the one facet to complete forward of Barcelona within the league section – going through the opposite of the 2 groups.
Barcelona will fancy their possibilities in opposition to both and have already overwhelmed Benfica this season. A really astonishing and bonkers affair controversially led to a 5-4 victory for Flick’s facet as Raphinha scored their 96th-minute winner.
La Blaugrana have been overwhelmed by PSG within the Champions League quarter-finals final season and could be looking for revenge within the final 16 ought to they be drawn collectively.
Barcelona are promised a difficult final 16 tie regardless of their opponents however they might a lot desire to face Benfica within the subsequent spherical. They’ve already overwhelmed the Lisbon facet this time period and there could be no doubts that Bruno Lage’s outfit are a worse crew than PSG – even when they’re able to springing a shock on their day.
Barcelona will wish to keep away from PSG given the type of the French facet, who’ve received 16 of their final 17 matches in all competitions. Former Blaugrana boss and participant Luis Enrique has moulded the capital facet into an incredible outfit with devastating attacking potential – exemplified by their 10-0 mixture victory over Brest within the play-off spherical.
Benfica beat Monaco throughout two legs within the play-offs – the Ligue 1 outfit having inflicted Barcelona’s solely European defeat of the season so far – however have inferior technicians to PSG at their disposal.
Barcelona will be taught their Champions League final 16 opponents at 11:00 GMT on Friday 21 January when the draw takes place on the Home of European Soccer in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw shall be streamed reside on UEFA’s official web site.
The primary leg of Barcelona’s tie with both PSG or Benfica will happen on 4-5 March, with the second leg staged on the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on 11-12 March.
