As Barcelona prepare to take on AS Monaco today, a lot of eyes will be on them. Barcelona are traditionally among the Champions League favourites always but they haven’t won the competition in a decade and have had some downright humiliating results in the competition in the last few years.
However this season, they have started like a side possessed by some superior power. Barca have scored 17 times in their 5 league games, winning each of them. Most recently, they destroyed Girona 4-1 this weekend, who themselves only narrowly lost to PSG last night. Barcelona’s forwards, in particular Raphinha and the prodigious Lamine Yamal have been outrageously good.
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Given all this, new manager Hansi Flick is very much of the belief that the club could win the Champions League this season, even though most people would not have them as one of the favourites. “We can win the Champions League”, Flick said. “Big clubs like Barca want to win titles and the Champions League is the best competition in the world. We’re ready to play against the best”.
Given recent form, Flick has cause for optimism and not many will want to disagree with him. He has pedigree in the competition too, winning it with Bayern Munich in 2020. Barca will face Bayern next month at home.
A good news for Barcelona against Monaco is the fact that Ansu Fati is back in the squad amid a massive injury crisis. “Ansu is ready to play. I know his favourite position but I’m not going to say it here, you’ll be able to see tomorrow what position he plays in. When he’s on the pitch he really enjoys himself and is scoring goals in training”, Flick stated.