FC Barcelona can run into a number of heavyweights foes in the last 16 and quarterfinals of the Champions League, as pointed out by SPORT journalist Xavi Espinosa on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Suffering an early scare in freezing conditions by going 1-0 down in under 10 minutes, the Catalans improved their chances of gaining automatic qualification to the knockout phase by beating Slavia Prague 4-2 away on Wednesday night.
A brace from MVP Fermin Lopez put Hansi Flick’s men ahead only for Robert Lewandowski to score an own goal before the interval.
In the second half, though, Dani Olmo came on for the injured Pedri around the hour mark and scored a clutch screamer, ahead of Lewandowski putting the ball in the right net.
Around that time in the evening, Barca was in the last automatic qualifying spot, eighth, but slipped down to ninth when Chelsea won 1-0.
With just one match to spare in the league phase, against Copenhagen at home, Barca is in a good position to not need a playoff for the KO stage as those finishing ninth to 24th do, while goal difference will also be important.
FC Barcelona has heavyweight potential opponents awaiting it in the Champions League
How things are shaping up, though, it could face heavyweight opponents in the next phase of the competition in what will be some of the toughest matches of the season.
In the last 16, Barca could meet one of two teams it has already lost to this term in Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain, if not Manchester City.
The preferred opponent might be Newcastle United, though, who it memorably beat in September thanks to a double from Marcus Rashford in St. James’ Park.
Furthermore, the return legs would be away meaning a good score should be put up at the Spotify Camp Nou before going into the Lions’ Den on the road.
Because of finishing seventh or eighth, there are hard tests in the quarterfinals if Barca gets past the last 16, which would be the 1st and 2nd placed Premier League leader Arsenal or Bundesliga equivalent Bayern Munich.
At the same time, though, if the Blaugrana only manages to stay in ninth, it is La Liga rivals Athletic Bilbao or Olympiacos in the playoffs then seventh or eighth place Newcastle United or Chelsea in the last 16.
In any event, this is football’s premier club tournament and there will be no easy fixtures on the way to the crown.
If FC Barcelona wants to be the best, for the first time since 2015, it will have to beat the best.
