An abnormality.
Or a downgrade.
The fact remains that at a time when the greats of Europe are returning to the frenzied games of midweek, Barça is returning to the European scene … in the Europa League this Thursday.
And if the poster which opposes it to Naples has nothing to envy on paper to some of the Champions League, like that between Ajax and Benfica, it is in C3 that Barça will perform this Thursday evening (6:45 p.m.).
What had not happened to him since the 2003-2004 season, when the competition was still called the UEFA Cup.
To discover
Calendar and results Europa League
Europa League standings
“
We attach a lot of value to this competition
, supports Pedri, the Golden Boy of Barça who was not yet two years old during the last C3 campaign of the Catalans.
It is obvious that we would prefer to be in the Champions League, we approach the Europa League with the intention of winning it.
“So much for the objective announced by the Catalan club, which is now a scarecrow of the competition alongside in particular Sevillian clubs, Dortmund, and… Napoli, solid third in Serie A.
Read alsoBarça: “Xavi trusts me” says Pedri
“
We do not see ourselves as favorites, rather as contenders
, tempers Xavi, who passed the 100-day mark at the head of his Barça this week.
We start with a very complicated draw, Napoli are a high-caliber opponent, and we will have to play the second leg away.
This match could have been an eighth in the Champions League.
»
We have two possibilities to qualify for the Champions League: finish in the top 4 in the league to win the Europa League
Xavi, Barca coach
But it is therefore indeed a Europa League dam that awaits Barça, as the redesigned and lightened formula of C3 wants since the arrival of the Europa League Conference, where Marseille faces the Azeris of Qarabag this Thursday (9 p.m.).
A dam but also a first stone to be laid towards a new line of a prize list for the time being devoid of any trace of C3.
A trophy like half of a double objective: “
The main objective of the season is to qualify for the Champions League next year,
recalls Xavi.
We have two options to do so: either stay in the top four in La Liga or win the Europa League.
»
Read alsoQarabag, opponent of OM and the Armenians of Marseille
Objective assumed but eleven redesigned?
But the Catalans' well-founded speech should be overtaken by the reality of an already busy schedule, even without a National Cup.
"
We will rotate
"
,
promises Xavi, while recalling that he does not have "
no eleven gala because we need everyone
."
A turnover therefore seems to be expected, to change the statutes or integrate a little more rookies Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ferran Torres and Adama Traoré, who should earn a little more playing time after very interesting first outings.
And if Xavi can now count on a larger workforce since the winter transfer window, he also hopes to be able to count on supporters for this shock against Napoli.
At a time when the mildness of mid-February allows Barcelonans to return to the surroundings of Parc Güell, its olive trees and magnolias, the Camp Nou would be all the more impregnable with its Blaugrana public.
"
We want to go very far in this European competition and we will need all our audience
", calls Xavi, who knows well that winning back his audience also requires good performances on the European stage.
Whoever she is.