Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has dismissed suggestions that his side has an “easy” route to the Champions League final, as they prepare for their last 16 encounter against Benfica.
The five-time champions will travel to Lisbon for the first leg on Wednesday. Should they advance from this tie, they will face either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, the other half of the draw features a host of prominent clubs, including record 15-time winners Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain, meaning Barcelona could only potentially meet them in the final.
Having not lifted the trophy since 2015, Barcelona finished second in the group stage and are considered among the frontrunners to claim the title once again.
“I believe there’s no such thing as an easy match at this stage; every team here deserves their place, and that includes Benfica,” Flick told the media on Tuesday.
“Benfica is an excellent team, and we’re playing in a fantastic stadium that creates a unique atmosphere.
“Their fans really rally behind the team, which will make it extremely challenging for us tomorrow.”
When asked about who he views as the tournament’s favourites or which team would pose the biggest threat to Barcelona’s ambitions, Flick remained focused on the current challenge.
“For us, the focus is solely on Benfica, our next formidable opponent,” the German coach stated.
“Speculating on favourites isn’t productive; we concentrate on the upcoming match, and that’s the right approach.
“Every match starts at 0-0, and we need to give our all… other teams are performing well and always aim to beat us.”
Barcelona previously triumphed over Benfica 5-4 during a thrilling group stage comeback.
Defender Pau Cubarsi highlighted the need for his team to concentrate on minimising opportunities for the Portuguese side, who saw Vangelis Pavlidis score a hat-trick within 30 minutes during their last encounter.
“It was a complex match for us… we conceded too many chances, so we must focus on preventing goals,” said the 18-year-old, who made his debut for Barcelona in January 2024 and has quickly established himself as an essential player.
“We have to be adept at managing games… this is a two-legged tie, and we need to start strong right from the get-go,” Cubarsi added.
“Barcelona should be contending for every title every year; in my opinion, we are the best club in the world.”
“People may claim we have the easiest path in the tournament this year, but I don’t view it that way.”
Earlier, Benfica coach Bruno Lage announced that midfielders Angel Di Maria and Florentino Luis would not be available for the match against Barcelona due to injury.
“They won’t be part of the game, and at this moment, I cannot say when they will return to action,” Lage informed reporters.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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