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

Barcelona return to action in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night as they take on Slavia Prague in their seventh game of this season’s league stage.

Barcelona went on a winning run of 11 games immediately after losing to Chelsea in the competition back in November. However, that run came to an end last weekend when they lost to Real Sociedad.

Despite the defeat, Barcelona have been in great form and have even won a trophy to add to their cabinet.

Their opponents on the night, meanwhile, are still searching for their first win in Europe and have three draws and as many defeats in the competition this season. Qualification, at this point, looks close to impossible.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Slavia Prague vs Barcelona.

Working towards a slim hope

Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League campaign so far has been nothing to boast of, for the Catalans languish in 15th place with just two games to go in the league stage.

Of the six games they have played in the competition this season, they have lost two against elite European opposition going down against both Chelsea and PSG.

Further, they took another massive blow when they failed to secure all three points against Club Brugge, giving away two points and falling further in the standings.

Only the top eight teams qualify directly to the knockout stages, with the next 16 teams taking on an additional round to decide if they progress or not. The goal, needless to say, is to secure direct qualification, but that now appears complicated.

While it is not impossible, Barcelona will have to win both of their remaining games and hope for other results to go their way to secure direct qualification. It may not be entirely in their hands, but what they can do is take all possible points from here on.

The importance of a win against Prague, thus, cannot be understated, for it may single-handedly decide the team’s path forward in the competition. A win will not guarantee direct qualification, but a defeat will guarantee them an additional playoff game.

The big-game player returns

Raphinha is back. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

It is no coincidence that Barcelona’s performances saw a massive improvement the moment Raphinha returned to the field after their defeat to Chelsea, and the team’s best run of the season so far came with him as a constant presence on the field.

The first game for which he was excluded from the squad since then was the clash against La Real last weekend, and it cannot be a coincidence that Barcelona lost that very game to put an end to their winning streak.

Raphinha’s importance in Flick’s plans cannot be understated, for the Brazilian has been key for the manager not only as an impact-generating forward but also as a leader on the field and a tireless presence with his defensive contributions.

The captain has been declared fit for Barcelona’s game against Slavia Prague tomorrow, and he will be available at Flick’s disposal in what comes as a massive boost for the manager.

Added to that is the fact that Raphinha is Barcelona’s most impactful big game player by some distance. Back in action in the UCL for just his fourth appearance of the season, he will be keen to get back in business.

Robert Lewandowski’s big window

Earlier this week, Barcelona confirmed an injury to Ferran Torres and that the Spanish striker will not be available for close to two weeks after suffering a muscular injury.

Ferran has been Flick’s go-to starting striker all season and has delivered quite consistently despite having some off nights. He has scored 13 goals in La Liga and the UCL combined this season and has started a total of 18 games across the two competitions.

Torres’ rise, in that sense, has coincided with and directly correlated with Lewandowski’s reduced role this season. While it is true that the Polish star is not getting any younger, he also does not deserve to be benched to the extent that he is.

The Spaniard’s injury now, needless to say, comes as a golden chance for Lewandowski to not only rack up some regular starts but also prove that he still has a lot to give to the team. In that sense, the coming period will be crucial for his season going forward.

Taking on Slavia Prague, Lewandowski will aim to make a real impact from the opening minute and possibly finish the game with a match-winning performance.