A victory towards Crvena Zvezda on Wednesday in Belgrade has allowed Barcelona to enter the distinguished prime eight for the primary time on this 12 months’s competitors, securing a spot among the many prime contenders for the knockout phases.
After 4 matches, Hansi Flick’s group at the moment sit in sixth place with 9 factors out of a attainable 12. With the group stage now at its midway level, the Catalans are calculating what it would take to safe a spot among the many prime eight.
New format, new calculations
As this 12 months’s Champions League incorporates a new format, there have been no earlier benchmarks to information the group’s expectations.
Subsequently, as SPORT stories, the Barcelona teaching employees determined towards speculating an excessive amount of about particular level thresholds and as a substitute emphasised the significance of sustaining a powerful purpose distinction, notably given the elevated chance of level ties with different groups.
And, it goes with out saying that Barcelona have excelled on this regard: no group has scored extra targets than them, they usually boast the very best purpose distinction within the competitors, with +10.
Barcelona’s inside calculations counsel that an extra eight factors needs to be sufficient to ensure development to the knockout rounds. This may deliver their complete to 17 factors by the top of the group stage.
Barcelona have gained three in 4 within the UCL (Photograph by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Pictures)
Securing eight factors from their remaining 4 matches towards Brest, Borussia Dortmund, SL Benfica, and Atalanta ought to guarantee a top-eight end. In sensible phrases, this could imply successful two matches and drawing two.
In fact, the group’s purpose is to win all 12 factors obtainable from these matches, as head coach Flick and his employees stay targeted on securing victories in each encounter.
A aggressive ultimate stretch
The ultimate stretch of the group stage is anticipated to be extremely aggressive. Whereas Barcelona have already navigated the problem of going through Bayern Munich, there are nonetheless formidable groups remaining.
Brest have been performing exceptionally nicely, Borussia Dortmund are a top-tier group, and each Benfica and Atalanta have the potential to pose critical threats to any facet.
The Blaugrana are aware that the ultimate few matches could also be tougher, notably given the energy of their upcoming opponents and the present standings of different groups of their group.
In such a state of affairs, it’s conceivable that seven factors from the final 4 video games is likely to be sufficient to safe a direct spot within the knockout rounds, although this could depend upon beneficial outcomes from different groups.
With a major problem nonetheless forward, Barcelona’s goal stays clear: to win as many factors as attainable and end within the prime eight, guaranteeing a clean path to the Champions League Spherical of 16.