Slavia Prague and FC Barcelona face each other this Wednesday for the third time in the UEFA Champions League. The Czech team only participated in the 2007/08 and 2019/20 editions prior to their appearance in the 2025/26 league phase, with a couple of eliminations in the defunct group stage and slim chances of at least reaching the round of 16 playoffs this season.
Jindrich Trpisovsky's team has only earned 3 points out of a possible 18, after securing 3 draws and 3 losses in the previous 6 matches. Facing them will be **a Barça that remains with chances of entering the TOP-8 with 10 points**, the product of 3 victories, 1 draw, and a couple of defeats. Away from home, Hansi Flick's men defeated Newcastle (1-2) and drew against Bruges (3-3).
In that regard, Barça has the obligation to win in Czechia, where they managed to secure 3 points in their last four visits. Viktoria Plzen, in the 22/23 season (2-4), was the last Czech team to fall to the Catalans.
Barcelona's second visit to the Eden Arena in Prague
The only previous encounter between Barça and Slavia Prague in the Champions League was in the group stage of the 2019/20 season. On matchday 3, the team then managed by **Ernesto Valverde** won by the narrowest of margins at the Eden Arena (1-2) with a goal from **Leo Messi** in the 3rd minute and an own goal by Olayinka (57'). Seven minutes earlier, Boril had scored the equalizer.
The two teams faced each other again at Camp Nou on matchday 4, in a match that ended in a goalless draw (0-0). Barça advanced to the round of 16 as group leaders, while Slavia finished bottom with only 2 points. The Catalan team would later fall in the quarterfinals against a Bayern Munich that went on to win the championship during the pandemic.
Barça seeks to regain confidence as visitors in Europe
For Barcelona, the visit to Prague comes with the obligation to win, **preferably by a wide margin**, to get closer to the Champions League TOP-8. Furthermore, Hansi Flick's team seeks to reassert their authority away from home in the Champions League, after several difficult away matches.
Barça has only won one of their last five away matches in the tournament, conceding 3 or more goals in four of these encounters. In their last outing, the Catalan team was thrashed by Chelsea (3-0), while the only positive result was the victory against Newcastle on the opening day of the 25/26 season