Three talking points ahead of Slavia Prague va Barcelona | UEFA Champions League

Barcelona return to motion within the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night time as they tackle Slavia Prague of their seventh recreation of this season’s league stage.

Barcelona went on a profitable run of 11 video games instantly after dropping to Chelsea within the competitors again in November. Nonetheless, that run got here to an finish final weekend after they misplaced to Actual Sociedad.

Regardless of the defeat, Barcelona have been in nice type and have even received a trophy so as to add to their cupboard.

Their opponents on the night time, in the meantime, are nonetheless trying to find their first win in Europe and have three attracts and as many defeats within the competitors this season. Qualification, at this level, appears near unimaginable.

Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Slavia Prague vs Barcelona.

Working in direction of a slim hope

Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League marketing campaign to date has been nothing to boast of, for the Catalans languish in fifteenth place with simply two video games to go within the league stage.

Of the six video games they’ve performed within the competitors this season, they’ve misplaced two towards elite European opposition happening towards each Chelsea and PSG.

Additional, they took one other large blow after they did not safe all three factors towards Membership Brugge, giving freely two factors and falling additional within the standings.

Solely the highest eight groups qualify on to the knockout phases, with the subsequent 16 groups taking over a further spherical to resolve in the event that they progress or not. The purpose, for sure, is to safe direct qualification, however that now seems difficult.

Whereas it isn’t unimaginable, Barcelona must win each of their remaining video games and hope for different outcomes to go their approach to safe direct qualification. It might not be solely of their fingers, however what they’ll do is take all potential factors from right here on.

The significance of a win towards Prague, thus, can’t be understated, for it might single-handedly resolve the workforce’s path ahead within the competitors. A win is not going to assure direct qualification, however a defeat will assure them a further playoff recreation.

The massive-game participant returns

It’s no coincidence that Barcelona’s performances noticed a large enchancment the second Raphinha returned to the sphere after their defeat to Chelsea, and the workforce’s greatest run of the season to date got here with him as a relentless presence on the sphere.

The primary recreation for which he was excluded from the squad since then was the conflict towards La Actual final weekend, and it can’t be a coincidence that Barcelona misplaced that very recreation to place an finish to their profitable streak.

Raphinha’s significance in Flick’s plans can’t be understated, for the Brazilian has been key for the supervisor not solely as an impact-generating ahead but in addition as a pacesetter on the sphere and a tireless presence along with his defensive contributions.

The captain has been declared match for Barcelona’s recreation towards Slavia Prague tomorrow, and he will likely be accessible at Flick’s disposal in what comes as a large increase for the supervisor.

Added to that’s the truth that Raphinha is Barcelona’s most impactful large recreation participant by a long way. Again in motion within the UCL for simply his fourth look of the season, he will likely be eager to get again in enterprise.

Robert Lewandowski’s large window

Earlier this week, Barcelona confirmed an harm to Ferran Torres and that the Spanish striker is not going to be accessible for shut to 2 weeks after struggling a muscular harm.

Ferran has been Flick’s go-to beginning striker all season and has delivered fairly constantly regardless of having some off nights. He has scored 13 targets in La Liga and the UCL mixed this season and has began a complete of 18 video games throughout the 2 competitions.

Torres’ rise, in that sense, has coincided with and straight correlated with Lewandowski’s decreased position this season. Whereas it’s true that the Polish star will not be getting any youthful, he additionally doesn’t need to be benched to the extent that he’s.

The Spaniard’s harm now, for sure, comes as a golden likelihood for Lewandowski to not solely rack up some common begins but in addition show that he nonetheless has so much to offer to the workforce. In that sense, the approaching interval will likely be essential for his season going ahead.

Taking up Slavia Prague, Lewandowski will goal to make an actual impression from the opening minute and probably end the sport with a match-winning efficiency.