Barça v Atalanta match key to future in Champions League

The glorious comeback by Barça in Lisbon has already gone down in Champions League folklore. Few teams around the world are capable of redressing a two goal disadvantage in the final quarter of an hour, before going on to win 4-5. The victory also came with the reward of mathematical confirmation of a place in the top eight of the Champions League group phase. This means avoiding having to play the two play-off games to make the last 16 faced by the teams that finish from ninth to twenty-fourth in the table.

However, obtaining a clearer picture of the blaugranes’ situation required waiting until the rest of the matchday seven fixtures were completed, and now there are even more reasons to laud Hansi Flick’s side’s performances so far. Barça are in outright second with 18 points, just three behind Liverpool, who have won all their games and lead the table. Arsenal and Inter Milan are two points behind the blaugranes on 16. Going through as one of the first eight teams is very important in this new Champions League format with one table of 36 teams, but the position in which you finish the league phase is also vital when it comes to the knockout phase.

Finishing in the top 2 is key

Let’s not forget that the blaugranes will have two weeks without midweek matches in February, as the Champions League last 16 play-offs are set to be played on 11/12 and 18/19 that month. This means the focus can be on LaLiga. Finishing in the top 8 also means that Barça will play the last 16 return leg at home.

There is still work to be done in Europe during this league phase, though, as next week’s game against Atalanta is more important than it seems at first glance. The draw format has also changed, and finishing as high as possible in the league phase table is key. Should Barça confirm second place (or first with a win and a Liverpool loss), they would avoid meeting Liverpool until a potential final.

Once the last 16 play-offs are completed, the eight teams that were already through will be split into four groups, with two in each group. Should they finish first and second, Liverpool and Barça would go into the same pot – with one allocated to the left side of the draw and the other to the right. The draw for the knockout phase is the final draw in the competition, meaning the potential route to the final for every team will be fixed.

Of course, this is the Champions League, and any opponent is capable of winning through to the next round, and thinking about avoiding certain teams to get to the final is somewhat of a pipe dream, but every little detail can make the difference. What is certain is that Barça’s great Champions League showing this season means that all concerns about qualifying for the next round have been put to bed and thoughts can turn to what might happen in the future in the competition.