FC Barcelona could not add the three points in their return to Montjuïc, for the Champions League, on matchday 2 of the 2025/26 league phase. The team led by Hansi Flick fell against Paris Saint-Germain (1-2) and, although it does not complicate, for now, their chances of qualifying directly for the round of 16, it does compromise their favoritism towards a new European title.
In the 33 previous editions with the name of Champions League, only two teams managed to win the title after debuting with a defeat at home. For Barça, this had not happened since 2021/22, when the team then led by Ronald Koeman fell on matchday 1 against Bayern Munich (0-3).
In the three previous editions, the 'culés' added a full of victories against Viktoria Plzen (5-1), Royal Antwerp (5-0 in 2023) and Young Boys (5-0 in 2024). However, the streak was cut short against the Parisian team by goals from Senny Mayulu and Gonçalo Ramos.
Barça will seek to join a select list of Champions League this season
For the moment, the only teams that managed to lift the Champions League trophy after falling in their first match at home in the tournament were Porto and Real Madrid. The Portuguese were the first to achieve it, with José Mourinho on the bench.
In the group stage of 2003/04, the 'dragons' fell against Real Madrid (1-3) on matchday 2 still as locals in the old Das Antas stadium. Curiously, that match was also played on October 1, but in 2003.
From the round of 16 onwards, Porto played as local in the Do Dragao stadium, inaugurated for the 2004 European Championship. 'Mou's' team overcame Manchester United, Lyon and Deportivo de la Coruña to play the final against Mónaco in Gelsenkirchen. There, the Portuguese won by a landslide (3-0) to lift their second 'big-eared' trophy.
Later, in 2021/22, Real Madrid also suffered a historic defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu against the debutant Sheriff Tiraspol (1-2). The Moldovans won in Chamartín against Carlo Ancelotti's team, also on matchday 2, but on September 29, 2021.
Despite the defeat, the 'merengues' finished as group leaders and, in the KO phase, overcame PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City with comebacks to reach the final in Paris. There, they defeated Liverpool (0-1) to obtain their fourteenth trophy.
Flick's Barcelona starts the league phase with 3 points out of 6 possible for the second consecutive year
For Hansi Flick's Barcelona, the scenario after the defeat against PSG, although not ideal by any means, is not the most complex. In 24/25, in the first two matchdays, the team also registered 3 points out of 6 possible.
After falling on matchday 1 against Mónaco, the 'culés' added six victories in a row to secure their direct qualification to the round of 16. The Azulgrana team closed the league with 19 points in second place, behind Liverpool. Afterwards, they reached the semifinals after overcoming Benfica and Dortmund in the round of 16 and quarter-finals, respectively.
Now, Barça has the obligation to defeat Olympiacos (home), Bruges (away), Chelsea (away) and Eintracht (home) in the next four matchdays to direct their presence in the TOP-8 of the general classification. In January, the league phase concludes with the visit to Slavia Prague and another match at home against Copenhagen. A priori, an affordable calendar to reach the goal.