Barça futsal returns to the Champions League after a two-year absence, starting its group stage on Wednesday, October 16 in Lucenec, Slovakia. The Barça team will face the Swiss Futsal Minerva at 4:00 p.m., will continue on Thursday against FC Semey from Kazakhstan and will conclude the round on Saturday with the host Lucenec at 6:00 p.m. The matches will be broadcast live on Esport3 and the top three finishers in each group will advance to the round of 16.
The trip to Budapest and the arrival at Lucenec Arena marked the beginning of the preparation. In the locker room, the team's motivation stands out to show that it remains a serious candidate for European glory. Injured players Matheus and Luciano Gauna remain out, while goalkeeper Iker Abad and striker Roger García, from the reserve team, complete the squad. Coach Javi Rodríguez is confident that Barça can lead the Main Round and, if they do so, they would obtain a home court advantage in the round of 16 matches.
The format of the competition places Barça on Route A; If you finish first in your group, you will face the winners of Route B, where only one team advances. The club's objective is clear: to reach the Final Four, which will be held at the Biel/Bienne Arena in Switzerland between May 6 and 9. With the experience and quality it has, Barça seeks to reestablish its prestige in Europe and make it clear that the Champions League continues to be its main goal.