Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Napoli

The midweek games in February usually signify the return of the UEFA Champions League to Camp Nou. The magical nights of football promise to be a treat to the eye, with ambition and passion at their peak. Yet, this season does not bring with it the iconic hymn of the UCL.

Barcelona’s elimination from the group stages ended their run in the competition much sooner than expected. As a result, they now linger in the UEFA Europa League in the hope that the second-tier European competition could bring home silverware.

Yet, the path is far from straightforward. The first opposition in the Blaugranas’ path is Napoli, who are nothing less than a Champions League level opposition. The Italian challenge will be a steep one for the Catalans to climb, especially given that the second leg will be played at Naples. Here are three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Napoli.

1. A formidable opposition

In Europe’s top five leagues, only Manchester City and Sevilla have conceded fewer goals than Napoli this season. In 25 Serie A games, the Italian side have only conceded 17 goals, averaging 0.6 goals conceded per game. They have convincingly won three of their last four matches, with the only draw coming against Inter Milan.

In the league standings, Napoli sits third and are just two points behind leaders AC Milan. Moreover, their lead over fourth-placed Juventus is a whopping seven points.

While their excellent defensive performances are glorified by the statistics of goals conceded, their forward line has been nothing short of blistering. Luciano Spalletti’s side have scored 46 goals in their 25 league games, with Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Victor Osimhen leading the charts.

Six Napoli players have scored at least four goals this season, a clear indication of their abundance of resources. In the Europa League, Victor Osimhen and Eljif Elmas have fired on all cylinders, scoring four goals each so far. There is little doubt that Xavi’s side has a mountain to climb on Thursday.

2. Barcelona’s defensive frailties

Napoli are a side who just cannot stop scoring. The front three of Victor Osimhen, Lorenzo Insigne, and Dries Mertens have fired on all cylinders this season, demolishing defence after defence.

Barcelona’s best hope heading into the clash was the centre-back pairing of Ronald Araujo and Gerard Pique. The duo have been Xavi’s go-to defenders this campaign and have perfectly covered each other’s shortcomings. Though Pique has been widely criticized, one would tend to agree that the Spaniard has had one of his best seasons in recent history under Xavi.

Now, the situation is no longer as clear. Ronald Araujo picked up a Soleus injury in the first half against Espanyol and is unlikely to feature midweek. His replacement, Eric Garcia, is coming off a horrid game in Cornella while Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are injured.

In such a situation, it remains to be seen if Xavi opts to alter his formation. Frenkie de Jong and Oscar Mingueza are two players who could get involved in tactical changes involving the defence.

The Catalans’ defensive worries do not end at centre-back. Dani Alves has been omitted from the Europa League squad due to the limit on new registrations. His absence further weakens the team’s right-wing where Sergino Dest will have to work hard to cover.

3. A final shot at silverware

Last month, the Blaugrana painfully crashed out of the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey in successive clashes. In La Liga, finishing top four is the only realistic objective as leaders Real Madrid sit 15 points ahead of Barcelona. Only the Europa League remains as a potential silverware target for Xavi’s side.

The second tier European competition trophy may be mocked by some fans, but it would mean the world to the team. After the painful moments the squad has seen this season, a trophy would do wonders in instilling belief and confidence.

The road ahead is long, with a potential seven games before the champions are announced. However, they will have to be seven performances out of their skin from the Barcelona players to pull it off. Needless to say, it will require a tactical masterclass from Xavi to pull off the incredible feat.