Barcelona set for Champions League reunion with three former players this season | OneFootball

The UEFA Champions League draw has handed Barcelona an exciting mix of challenges for the 2025/26 season.

From Pot 1, Barça have been paired with Paris Saint-Germain at home and Chelsea away.

Pot 2 brings a home clash against Eintracht Frankfurt and a trip to Belgium to face Club Brugge.

Pot 3 sees the Catalans meet Olympiacos in Spain and Slavia Praha away, while Pot 4 includes Copenhagen at home and a tricky away fixture at Newcastle United.

Beyond the competition itself, the draw has set up a series of reunions with players who once wore the Barcelona shirt.

These meetings will add even more emotion and storylines to the group phase.

Former Barcelona players set for reunions

One of the most notable reunions will be with Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella. The left-back, who left Barcelona in 2018, has faced his former club six times in La Liga with Eibar and Getafe.

Marc Cucurella will also face Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

However, this will be the first time Barça meet him since he established himself in the Premier League with Chelsea and earned his place in the Spanish national team.

Over in Paris, two very familiar names await – Luis Enrique and Ousmane Dembele. Enrique, a club legend as both player and coach, is now guiding PSG, while Dembele will look to trouble his former side once again.

In fact, there is already history between Barça and the Frenchman, who scored during the 2023/24 season quarter-final second leg, helping PSG knock the Blaugrana out.

Another former player to watch is Ludovit Reis, now at Club Brugge. The midfielder never made a senior appearance for Barcelona, but he did make the bench under Quique Setien, even during the infamous 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in 2020.

After leading Hamburg to promotion in Germany, Brugge signed him this summer for €6 million.

Meanwhile, Roony Bardghji could also face his old club, Copenhagen, if Barcelona manage to complete his registration in time.

That would add yet another personal subplot to an already fascinating group stage.