Astonished by Liverpool in last season’s semi-finals, will Barcelona be the surprises in the final stages of the 2019/20 competition?
July 10: quarter and semifinal draw
Season so far
Module guide: W4 D4 L0 F10 A5
Best scorer: Luis Suárez (3)
Their campaign in ten words: Unbeaten and ready to expiate last season’s semi-final exit.
Winners of group F.
▪ Dortmund 0-0 Barcelona
▪ Barcelona 2-1 Inter Milan (Luis Suárez 58 84; Martínez 3)
▪ Slavia Praha 1-2 Barcelona (Bořil 50; Messi 3, Olayinka 57og)
▪ Barcelona 0-0 Slavia Prague
▪ Barcelona 3-1 Dortmund (Luis Suárez 29, Messi 33, Griezmann 67; Sancho 77)
▪ Inter Milan 1-2 Barcelona (Romelu Lukaku 44; Carles Pérez 23, Fati 86)
Round of 16
First stop (February 25): Naples 1-1 Barcelona (Mertens 30; Griezmann 57)
Although Barcelona have been against the ropes for long periods against a lively Napoli team, Antoine Griezmann managed to cancel Dries Mertens’ opener. That away goal puts them in the driver’s seat for the return leg.
Expert view: Graham Hunter, UEFA.com Barcelona reporter
You would imagine, simply by looking at the statistics, that this is an exuberant, lively Barcelona, ready to launch a charge to win their dear tournament. Unbeaten in Europe and twice victorious against a powerful side of Inter, they showed flashes of brilliance, especially when all three attackers – Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann – scored at home against Dortmund.
Instead, there are a few dark clouds over Camp Nou: Slavia Praha may have easily taken four points instead of one, Barça’s form is unpredictable and Ousmane Dembélé’s injury recovery proceeds slowly. Having said that, Suárez (to Messi’s great delight) came back to help the cause.
Who is responsible?
Johann Cruyff’s self-proclaimed disciple, Quique Setién replaced Ernesto Valverde in January. Known for his tenure philosophy and aesthetically pleasing football, the 61-year-old has by far taken on the greatest job of his career, which has so far featured spells responsible for Racing Santander, Las Palmas, Real Betis and Equatorial Guinea team.
Key quote: “Sometimes you see players who can suddenly perform and you think:” Blimey! Where is he from? “You wonder how suddenly they are so good. And it’s because you give them something they like: the ball.”
Tactical approach
Setién has split between a traditional 4-3-3 and a more solid-looking 4-4-2 in recent weeks, with young Riqui Puig claiming a regular starting place in midfield. The return from Frenkie de Jong’s injury will be a positive boost for their second leg against Napoli, but Ousmane Dembélé faces a race against time to be in shape.
Star player: Lionel Messi
Who else? The evergreen Argentine continues to light up the Camp Nou season after season. Only two UEFA Champions League goals this term, but his presence still makes a difference.
