Barcelona make a few key changes to the Champions League squad ahead of knockout rounds

Barcelona have fine-tuned their Champions League roster ahead of the Round of 16, taking advantage of the post-league-phase window that allows up to three new registrations. Finishing fifth in the standings meant the Catalans bypass February’s knockout playoffs, and sporting director Deco moved swiftly to ensure Hansi Flick has every option available once the competition resumes.

The headline adjustment is the inclusion of Portuguese full-back João Cancelo. Signed on 13 January, Cancelo missed the closing league-phase fixtures against Slavia Prague and FC Copenhagen because his registration was completed after the deadline. He has since logged 133 minutes across three domestic outings and, with his paperwork now approved by UEFA, is eligible to feature from the first leg of the last-16 tie.

Conversely, Marc-André ter Stegen has been removed from the A-list. The German goalkeeper, on loan at Girona, underwent surgery this Friday for a hamstring injury and will remain at Montilivi for the remainder of the campaign, ending any speculation of an early Camp Nou return.

A minor clerical curiosity remains: UEFA’s published squad still lists midfielder “Dro” among Barcelona’s B-list players, even though the 20-year-old officially completed a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain on Friday. Club sources expect the anomaly to be corrected in the coming days.

With the amendments submitted, Flick’s squad is set for the next phase of European action, where small margins could decide whether the five-time champions mount a serious assault on the trophy.