How Confident Are You Heading Into the Champions League Knockouts – and Which Opponent Scares You the Most?

Barcelona’s path through the 2025-26 Champions League group stage ended with a fifth-place finish, enough to secure direct passage into the knockout phase and spare Hansi Flick’s squad the tension of a two-legged play-off. The Catalan giants collected five wins from eight matches, yet back-to-back defeats against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have cast doubt on just how deep this team can go in Europe’s premier club competition.

With Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham claiming the top four automatic spots, and Chelsea, Sporting CP and Manchester City also advancing without the need for a play-off, the last-16 draw promises heavyweight collisions. Those recent losses highlighted defensive frailties and raised an uncomfortable question around the Camp Nou: when the tournament reaches its knife-edge phase, which opponent poses the greatest threat to Barcelona’s ambitions?

Supporters are now weighing optimism against reality. The attacking talent within Flick’s ranks suggests any two-legged tie remains winnable, yet the manner of the setbacks to Chelsea and PSG—both technically sharp and physically intense—offers a template for how Barca can be unsettled. As the draw looms, the debate among fans centres on whether another meeting with an English powerhouse or a rematch against the French champions represents the most daunting prospect.

Barca Blaugranes put the issue to its readers: how confident are you heading into the Champions League knockouts, and which opponent scares you the most? The answers, submitted in the comments section, will shape the mood around the club as preparations begin for the decisive months ahead.