FC Barcelona has a relatively easy route to the Champions League final.
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Like the other 15 outfits that remain in the competition, FC Barcelona found out who it will face next in the Champions League after UEFA made its official draw early on Friday afternoon in Europe.
The Catalans have to get past Newcastle in the last 16 to advance, with the first leg played in St. James’ Park on March 10 before a second leg at the Spotify Camp Nou is held eight days later.
Providing Hansi Flick’s men can prevail, they will then meet either Atletico Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur.
In the last four, again in the event that the Blaugrana continues to advance, it will be surprise package Bodo/Glimt, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen or Arsenal standing in the way of reaching the final in Budapest on May 30.
The ‘killers’, if you will, are on the other side of the draw. PSG meets Chelsea, while another mammoth clash finds Real Madrid and Manchester City once more getting in each other’s way.
Liverpool must see off a foe that defeated it in the league phase in Galatasaray, and Bayern Munich has been pitted against Atalanta.
This means that on Barca’s side of the draw, it is the only club that has ever lifted the big-eared trophy, which it has done on five occasions.
Because of this, some Culers are already making plans for a pre-summer trip to Hungary with regards to the decider, though they should perhaps hold that thought.
Providing it is Atletico Marid that awaits in the next round, it would be worth reminding confident fans of how Diego Simeone’s troops destroyed Barca 4-0 in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg earlier this month, with the return fixture in that tie set to be played on Tuesday in the Spotify Camp Nou.
Arsenal is also a different package than usual leading the Premier League, with Bodo/Glimt knocking out the team that eliminated Barca from the last four last term in Inter Milan, and Sporting Lisbon pipping reigning champions PSG 2-1 in January.
At this level it is never straightforward, but if the likes of Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Pedri are all fit – Barca has as good a chance as anyone.