Barca to begin UCL campaign against Antwerp with confidence soaring

• Barcelona will open its UEFA Champions League season against Royal Antwerp.
• Barcelona is on a roll after bringing in Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo.
• Barcelona has much-needed experience in their midfield.

Tuesday at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, FC Barcelona will open its UEFA Champions League (UCL) season against Belgian champions Royal Antwerp.

The Catalan club is on a roll after bringing in Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo, and they just defeated Real Betis by a score of five goals in La Liga. They will head into their UCL match with much-needed confidence.

🔥 Xavi’s 21-player squad for #BarçaAntwerp in the @ChampionsLeague! pic.twitter.com/mnBXdgkzgd

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 19, 2023

In addition to young prospects like Pedri and Gavi, the Blaugrana have much-needed experience in their midfield thanks to a player like Ilkay Gungodan, who led Manchester City to a historic treble last season.

On the other hand, the 16-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal, paired with the seasoned Robert Lewandowski, gives their attack the necessary depth and balance.

Barca is in Group H with Antwerp, FC Porto, and Shakhtar Donetsk, and Xavi won’t accept anything less than winning the group.

“It’s time to take a step forward in the Champions League,” Xavi told a press conference on Monday. “The objective is to finish top of the group and be seeded in the knockout phase draw. But it’s about deeds, not words.

“Last season, the team did well in terms of play but not in terms of results. This year we have to play well and get results,” he added.

Ronald Araujo, who tore his hamstring, and Pedri, who hurt his right thigh last month, have both been told by Xavi that they won’t be rushed back in time to play for Barca in the UCL opening.

“We could have forced (their return) for Antwerp, but I prefer to be cautious,” he said.

It should be mentioned that Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015. That year, the Catalan club won its fifth European championship by defeating Juventus in the championship game thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr.

They haven’t done well in Europe for the past two years because they were dropped to the UEFA Europa League following two straight seasons of being eliminated from the UCL at the group stage.

The Catalan team struggled in the Europa League, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021–22 and Manchester United in 2022–23, respectively.

To stay informed about current events, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BOLUrduNews/.

Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/bolnewsurdu01 and stay updated with the latest news.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/3Tv8a3P to watch news from Pakistan and around the world.

Also Read

Xavi Hernandez on verge of Barcelona contract extension

Xavi's current contract expires in June 2024. The new contract is expected...