Adios to the Champions League, say Barca players
Barcelona are facing up to that relatively rare but costly reality - life outside of the Champions League.
Barcelona are facing up to that relatively rare but costly reality - life outside of the Champions League.
Several Barcelona players admitted on Sunday they now have no hope of finishing in the top four of the Spanish first division and qualifying for next season's lucrative competition.
The Catalan giants, who currently lead their Champions League group and are on course to qualify for this season's quarter-finals, drew 1-1 at home to Valladolid Saturday and now lie eighth and 14 points adrift of a Champions League slot with 13 games still to play.
Barcelona have not missed a Champions League campaign since the 1996/97 season - and some players are already resigned to accepting another season of playing in the UEFA Cup.
"Winning the Champions League will be our easiest way back into the competition next season," Barca midfielder Garbi Garcia told Spanish reporters on Sunday.
Barca's Dutch defender Frank De Boer echoed his team mates comments.
"We can still dream but our first priority now is to secure a slot in the UEFA Cup," added De Boer.
If Barcelona fail to make the Champions League next season it will have dramatic financial implications on the club that is already an estimated 230 million euros in debt.
Barcelona president Enric Reyna, who took over the hot seat from Joan Gaspart a month ago, has already indicated there will be a fire sale of players in the summer in order to reduce the huge debts.
Patrick Kluivert, Philippe Cristanval, Micheal Reiziger and Fabio Rochemback are thought to be among the most likely players to be on the move.
Barcelona's chances of either lifting the Champions League or climbing further up the Sapnish league table were dealt a blow on Saturday when their influencial midfielder Luis Enrique Martinez tore his left hamstring.
"He'll be out for several weeks," confirmed Barcelona coach Radomir Antic.
Luis Enrique came on for Argentine international Juan Roman Riquelme in the 68th minute but had to come off nine minutes later.
They have gone 12 games without defeat in this season's Champions League, a streak they hope to extend against Bayer Leverkusen in their Group A clash on Tuesday.