A Champions League second leg will always challenge a team’s ability to perform when the pressure is on.
A high level of concentration on the game plan, and focus from moment to moment, is essential. In the past, Barcelona learned this lesson the hard way, with self-inflicted errors sinking recent campaigns.
FC Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain: Quarter-final Second Leg - UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
Adding to the challenge of managing player emotions will be the response of the team to the shocking passing of team doctor, Carles Miñarro Garcia, over the weekend.
It’s a reminder of the human beings that make the game what it is, beyond the players and coaches. There are so many important figures that have a direct impact on the club, the well being of the players, and their chances at success.
If there is any silver lining in this difficult moment, it’s that Hansi Flick’s team has truly been a band of brothers from the beginning, navigating a very challenging season, and finding a way to carve a path forward in spite of the deck that has been stacked against them.
SL Benfica Vs FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round Of 16 First Leg Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/JAR Sport Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Their very impressive 1-0 victory in the first leg against Benfica was a case in point. Barcelona teams in the past would have had a hard time getting that result, playing with 10 men for the majority of the match. But there is a unity to this team, a trust amongst the players, and in their coach.
The atmosphere will be rocking at the Estadi Olímpic on Tuesday. There will be excitement, and there will also be sadness. There will be an opposing team who, from the first whistle, will be determined to fight with everything they have for the win.
SL Benfica v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 First Leg Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images
Barcelona will have to come together, and use the adrenaline to their benefit, while staying focused on the mission at hand. They really can’t afford any more moments of recklessness. It has to be a tightly-managed game.
The home crowd will surely be sending them strength and support from the stands.
As Flick has said, this win will be for the good doctor, a key member of the team who will be missed, but who would surely want the team to fight on in his absence.
The show goes on. Barcelona will, once again, have to rise above the challenges on and off the field, to keep their incredible journey this season moving forward.