Bruges vs. Barcelona: the history between Belgians and Catalans in Europe

Fútbol Club Barcelona visits Club Brugge this Wednesday, a team they have only faced a couple of times in the UEFA Champions League. Hansi Flick's team began the league phase with a pair of victories (Newcastle and Olympiacos) and a defeat (PSG), while the Belgians began by thrashing Monaco, but then fell against Atalanta and Bayern.

For the moment, Barça has 6 points and remains in 9th place in the standings. Nicky Hayen's team, on the other hand, occupies twentieth place in the table, still in the 'play-offs' zone. The only time both teams met in the Champions League was in the 2002/03 season, during the extinct group stage.

Barça adds full victories against Brugge in Champions League

Luis Enrique during a Barça-Bruges match in 2002

The team then led by Louis van Gaal debuted in the Champions League with a win at Camp Nou against the Belgians (3-2). Luis Enrique, Gaizka Mendieta and Javier Saviola scored the Barça goals in the first half, while Simons and Englebert scored for the visitors.

Both teams met again on the matchday, with a Barça victory at the Jan Breydel stadium thanks to a goal by Juan Román Riquelme (0-1). Barça advanced to the second group stage as leader of zone H with a full record of victories (6), while Bruges finished third with 5 points, dropping to the UEFA Cup.

The "culés" reached the quarter-finals that season, falling to Juventus by an aggregate score of 3-2. The 'Nerazzurri' team, however, was eliminated in the round of 32 of the UEFA Cup by Stuttgart (3-1 on aggregate). AC Milan and Porto would be the champions of Champions League and UEFA that season, respectively.

Barcelona is undefeated against Brugge in European competitions

Previously, in the 2000-01 season, FC Barcelona and Club Brugge had also faced each other in the third round (round of 32) of the UEFA Cup. In the first leg in Belgium, the Barça team won 0-2 with goals from Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert, leaving the tie decided.

The return leg at Camp Nou ended in a draw (1-1), with Rivaldo scoring the Barça goal. Barça overcame AEK Athens in the round of 16 and Celta Vigo in the quarter-finals, but fell in the 'semis' against Liverpool (1-0 on aggregate). The 'Reds' would be champions, defeating Alavés in the final played in Dortmund (5-4).

In that regard, in European competitions, Barcelona has 3 wins and 1 draw against Brugge in 4 matches, with a balance of 7 goals for and 3 against. At the Jan Breydel stadium, the Catalans have two victories in their two previous visits, without conceding goals. The Belgians are coming off a heavy defeat in matchday 3 against Bayern (4-0), while the Azulgrana team crushed Olympiacos (6-1).

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