FC Barcelona’s Objective For 2022/2023 Following Probable Champions League Exit

FC Barcelona need nothing short of a miracle to stay in the Champions League following Wednesday’s disappointing 3-3 draw with Inter Milan.

While it is still mathematically possible for Xavi Hernandez’s men to advance to the knockout phase, qualification to the last 16 is highly unlikely given that the second-place Italians and group leaders Bayern Munich hold all the cards.

In just under a fortnight, Barca will know of their fate before they take to the field against the Bavarians at Camp Nou.

In the earlier kick-off, Milan meet Viktoria Plzen where a win for the Serie A giants will guarantee their passage to the next phase of the competition and sentence Barca to the Europa League for the second year running.

This will spell a crisis for Barca which they did not expect to suffer so early in the season after spending around €150mn ($146mn) on new signings in the summer through the activation of various ‘economic levers’.

The club will also lose around €20.2mn ($19.7mn) in revenue on the continent, but president Joan Laporta and Xavi must rethink their objectives for the season.

According to SPORT on Friday morning, this is already clear: Barca must win La Liga, and lift their first Spanish top flight title since 2019.

While the cup tournaments – likely to be the Europa League, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup – are important, none have as much prestige as the league and will help reaffirm Barca’s status as a force to be reckoned with at home.

Winning the Champions League had never been a realistic goal this year for a Barca undergoing a rebuild, but they are in a privileged position to get their house in order in one of Europe’s other top competitions.

The Catalans are currently top of the pile and level on 22 points with arch rivals and reigning champions Real Madrid, with the two sides meeting on Sunday in an afternoon installment of El Clasico that could prove decisive in the title race come May.

Barca need to brush themselves off after their midweek let down, and prove that they won’t allow such a setback to define them.