Barça's Champions League fate in their hands as Danish test looms
Barcelona's hard-fought win against Slavia Prague puts them on the brink of a top-eight finish, but they must overcome Copenhagen with key midfielders missing.
Barcelona’s Champions League destiny is firmly in their own hands after Wednesday’s grafting victory over Slavia Prague. With one match remaining, the Catalan giants are tantalizingly close to securing automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
The permutations
Flick’s men currently sit ninth in the table on 13 points - just outside the automatic qualification spots. However, they’ve got a proper stroke of luck in the final round of fixtures with Newcastle and PSG facing each other. Since both currently sit above Barça in the standings, at least one (or both if they draw) will drop below the Blaugrana if they win their final match.
It’s a simple equation for Barcelona:
- Beat Copenhagen next Wednesday
- Score as many goals as possible
- Hope results elsewhere go their way
Goals galore, but at both ends
When it comes to finding the onion bag, Barcelona have been absolutely mustard in this Champions League campaign. They’ve notched 18 goals in the league phase so far - a tally bettered only by Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG and Dortmund.
The problem? They’re leaking goals like a dodgy tap. The Catalans have conceded in every single Champions League match this season, with Club Brugge and Chelsea both putting three past them. Even on Wednesday, they shipped two against Slavia Prague - hardly the cream of European football.
Jekyll and Hyde performances
There’s a stark contrast between Barça’s domestic and European performances. In La Liga, they’re handling business against lesser opposition without breaking sweat. But in Europe, it’s a different kettle of fish altogether.
The Prague match highlighted this perfectly - conceding twice against a side languishing near the bottom of the Champions League table. Copenhagen may sit below Barcelona on paper, but they’ll be right up for it with qualification still possible.
Midfield headache
Flick faces a proper nightmare in midfield for the Copenhagen clash. He’ll be without:
- Pedri - injured in the Slavia match
- Frenkie de Jong - suspended after picking up his third yellow card
Finding the right balance in the engine room will be crucial if Barcelona want to avoid any nasty surprises against the Danish side.