Three talking points ahead of Benfica vs Barcelona | UEFA Champions League | OneFootball

Every time Barcelona look set to take off and spread their wings, they cannot help but find a hiccup waiting their way.

The same theme continues in 2025. After a resounding series of wins over Athletic Club, Real Madrid and Real Betis, the Catalans fell short against Getafe in the league and could not take three points.

It was, needless to say, a massive psychological blow for the Blaugrana to stumble when they needed to hit back in the league as they have now gifted the lead to Real Madrid. However, they do not have long to ponder upon the missed opportunity.

On Tuesday night, Hansi Flick’s men take to the field against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League away from home in their penultimate game of the league phase.

Needless to say, they will look to strike back and make a statement that the draw against Getafe was just a one-off incident.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Benfica vs Barcelona.

A tricky opposition

The 2021-22 iteration of the UEFA Champions League was a horror for Barcelona as they finished third in their group and found themselves relegated to the UEFA Europa League.

That season, it was Benfica who qualified over them in second place and Barcelona’s dropped points against the Portuguese outfit that cost them their knockout spot.

The clash between the two sides in Spain saw them play out a goalless draw, but Benfica slammed three goals past the Catalans and took all three points when they faced off in Portugal.

A lot has changed since Benfica won against the Catalans at Estadio da Luz in 2021 and only five of the players who started on the night are still at the club. Yet, the Blaugrana’s record speaks volumes about what a tricky opposition they are up against.

Bruno Lage’s men are currently unbeaten in their last four games and have won three of them. They sit second in their domestic league with 41 points in 18 games and have conceded just 11 goals.

Olmo sits out again

Out injured again. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

There is no denying that Dani Olmo is one of the most gifted players Hansi Flick has at his disposal at Barcelona.

The Spanish international has shone brightly from the day he made his debut in the Blaugrana colours and is a perpetual threat in the buildup phase owing to a combination of his positional awareness and combination play.

His one downside, however, is his fragility on the fitness front and even Flick’s staff appear to be struggling to crack his code.

Olmo simply cannot catch a break with niggles and it has been a recurring theme over the past several years. Once more, he suffered a minor injury after Barcelona’s draw against Getafe and is out of the squad for the Champions League clash.

The Spanish international is expected to be out for ten days, and his unavailability tomorrow brings certain direct alterations to Hansi Flick’s plans.

For starters, Gavi will continue as Barcelona’s starting attacking midfielder as he has in recent games and may even play a longer spell than usual given that Olmo is out.

What it also implies, however, is that the manager may turn to Pablo Torre or Fermin Lopez, both of whom make a strong case to see more minutes.

Fermin has struggled for minutes this season and has not been his usual goal-threatening self in the final third since the Olympics. He will look to utilise his opportunity tomorrow to grow back into Flick’s plans.

Torre, meanwhile, was never expected to play a major role in Barcelona’s season but has used his sparse minutes to perfection and may even be ahead of Fermin on the manager’s pecking order currently.

Reaching the doorstep of the Top 8

Barcelona’s run in La Liga is worrying indeed, but the team has not allowed the same mistakes to creep into the UEFA Champions League campaign.

The Catalans have played exceedingly well under pressure this season and have been able to create wins on demand in the European competition. Their fine form has given them a comfortable position on the table where they sit second.

Flick’s men only dropped points in the competition opener against AS Monaco and have recorded five out of five wins ever since. They now have a three-point lead over ninth-placed Borussia Dortmund.

Only the top eight teams on the leaderboard this year qualify directly into the Round of 16, and teams from the 9th to 24th places must play an additional playoff tie to determine who qualifies.

Finishing in the top eight will thus save the Catalans two extra games on their already hectic career and a win tomorrow will take them to the doorstep of the place they dream of.

A win over Benfica will take Barcelona to 18 points, a number that even the ninth-placed team can reach only if they win both their games remaining. Considering Barcelona’s goal difference of +14 moreover, it may well guarantee the top-8 spot they desire.