Barcelona could potentially benefit from the new change in the UCL format next season | OneFootball

FC Barcelona remain fully committed to fighting for every title next season, and they are already working towards that objective. However, the right players and tactics will be crucial to accomplish that. As for the mentality, Barcelona seem to have that sorted.

Even when it comes to individual players, there is no denying the quality that this team already has. With stars like Pedri earning praise from even rival club legends like Toni Kroos, Barcelona remain fortunate to have players who have that kind of quality.

Moreover, even new signings are being arranged to make the team more competitive. For instance, Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia has already been signed, and the search for a new winger will continue this summer regardless of the time it may take.

A new change in the UCL format

Lamine Yamal in action for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Ultimately, the club managed to succeed in every single domestic competition last season. However, their only failure came in the UEFA Champions League as they failed to beat Inter Milan in the semi-final and only marginally ended up losing that tie.

Still, the club did better than most people expected from them at the start of last season. Yet, simply exceeding expectations is not enough for Barcelona, and next season’s campaign is yet another chance for them to get back to the top.

However, a new change in the format of the UEFA Champions League is planned for next season and it could potentially benefit Barcelona as well. As revealed by the club through an official post, the new format for the 2025/26 season will reward teams that finish near the top of the league phase of the competition.

Possible home advantage for Barcelona

The teams that manage to do that will get the benefit of getting to play the second leg of every single knockout game at their own home stadium. That would mean that if Barcelona were to finish in the top eight of the competition just like they did last season, they could get to play the Round of 16, Quarterfinal, and Semi-final of the competition at home.

Last season, however, obviously did not have this rule in place. That is why, despite Barça finishing second in the league phase, ended up playing the second leg of their quarterfinal tie against Borussia Dortmund and their semi-final tie against Inter Milan away from home.