The 2-1 victory on Tyneside earlier in the campaign serves as the gold standard for this Barcelona team as they look to re-establish themselves as a dominant force in Europe. Looking back at the campaign so far, he pointed out that while the team has shown glimpses of brilliance against Europe’s elite, they must avoid the second-half lapses that cost them in other high-profile matches against the likes of PSG.
"The match against Newcastle has been one of the best we have performed throughout the season, both at a defensive and offensive level and in the control of the game. Against PSG we also played well, although in the second half we dropped the level. The one in Newcastle was perfect and that means that, if we want to go through, we will have to do it perfect. It will be a very tough match against one of the best fanbases in the world, who push a lot and give energy to the players," Deco stated during his analysis of the draw.