'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The past three Champions League seasons have ended in despair for Barcelona as they were eliminated from the quarterfinals stage for three times on the trot. After winning the coveted European title for the fifth time in 2015, the Catalan club has failed to impress at the grand European stage.
Also See: La Liga News | Champions League | Champions League Table
When Argentine talisman Lionel Messi was appointed as the new captain of Barcelona this season he made it clear that winning the Champions League was the club's topmost priority.
Barcelona were drawn in Group B with Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven and were able to win the group without any real difficulty. However, the Catalan club has never really suffered in the group stages as even in the past three seasons Barcelona looked like title contenders till December.
It's the knockout stages where the club stumbles and we shall now take a look at 5 reasons why this season won't be any different for Blaugrana.
#5 Domestic Commitments
Barcelona have been an unstoppable force in domestic competitions for the past decade as they have won 7 LaLiga titles and are currently four-time reigning champions of the Copa del Rey. It can be said that this domestic supremacy has come at a cost as the club's European aspirations have suffered.
Barcelona had an unassailable lead on the points table last season when they won the league title by a 14 point difference between them and second-placed Atletico de Madrid. However, this solid position in the league was not exploited to ensure European success as Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde continued to field the first team in the league matches and failed to provide ample rest to the players for European fixtures.
This surely took a toll on the players and was evident in their performance away from home against AS Roma in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.
Barcelona currently sits on top of the league table but only have a five-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid which means that when the season gets to the business end during the months of April and May, Valverde will have to make a choice and prioritize one competition over the other.
#4 Defensive weaknesses
Barcelona looks shaky in the defense this season as they have conceded 20 goals in LaLiga in 18 games whereas they conceded just 29 goals in the entire league season last time.
The Catalan club signed French center-back Clement Lenglet this season to further strengthen their back four, however, the defensive line has looked ineffective in keeping the opposition out as Barca's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has managed to keep only 6 clean sheets in 18 league games.
Barcelona also conceded four goals at home this season for the first time since April 2003 when they were beaten by a scoreline of 4-3 against Real Betis.
Samuel Umtiti's hamstring injury in November also added to Barcelona's defensive woes as the 25-year-old center-back still does not have a confirmed return date; however, Valverde in a recent interview claimed that Umtiti is close to making a return to the Barcelona camp.
Barcelona's defense has also been exposed in the Champions league as they conceded 5 goals in 6 games and were able to keep only 2 clean sheets.
Blaugrana will have to sort out their defensive weaknesses in time or they would be prone to yet another early exit from the Champions League knockout stages.
#3 Valverde's conservative approach
Ernesto Valverde is known to play safe when it comes to tactical football and is seldom seen taking any bold decisions when the stakes are high. Such a conservative approach of Valverde has costed Barcelona in the past and will haunt them again during the business end of this season.
Barcelona traveled to Rome with a 4-1 advantage and were expected to build on that lead at the Stadio Olimpico. However, Barcelona decided to sit back on their lead which gave Roma the chance to press hard and trouble Barcelona's defensive line. The result was a catastrophic 3-0 defeat and saw the Catalan club bid adieu to Europe's greatest prize.
The story hasn't changed much this season as Barcelona have been troubled by teams that play tactical passing football and are able to find spaces in the defense.
Valverde will need to adopt a different approach in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League if he wants to achieve European success at Barcelona.
#2 Overdependence on Lionel Messi
Lately, Barcelona's success has been majorly influenced by their talisman Lionel Messi's success. If the Argentine forward has a good game, the result is bound to go in Barcelona's favor; however, at times when Messi is not at his best, the whole team looks mediocre.
Such dependence on Messi has adversely affected the club as a single poor performance by La Pulga can derail Barcelona's entire season. This was the case last season when Messi had an off day in Rome due to which the team squandered a 4-1 lead and crashed out of the Champions League quarter-final for a third consecutive time.
Barcelona have great depth in their squad this season with the arrival of Arturo Vidal, Arthur Melo and Malcom but Valverde is still left with the task to work out a game plan wherein the team can perform at the big stage without Messi in order to become genuine contenders for the Champions League title.
#1 Poor away form in the Champions League
Barcelona have struggled away from home in the Champions League for the past couple of seasons. The Catalan club has twice in the past three seasons dissolved a first leg home win; against Atletico de Madrid in 2016 and against AS Roma in 2018.
The last time Barcelona won an away game in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions league was in 2016 when they defeated Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates stadium. Such poor away form in the Champions League has made Barcelona vulnerable to early knockout stage exit from Europe's elite club competition.
The club showed signs of improvement when they defeated Tottenham 4-2 at the Wembley stadium earlier this season; however, the club once again had lackluster performances against Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven away from home.
Barcelona will need to work extensively on their away form if they want to have any chance at lifting the Champions League trophy this June.
