Barcelona request UEFA to reschedule Champions League Ro16 second leg match

Barcelona have formally asked UEFA to move the second leg of their Champions League Round-of-16 tie from Tuesday, 17 March, to Wednesday, 18 March, in order to avoid a clash with the club’s presidential elections, ESPN reports via SPORT.

The Catalan giants are set to hold elections on Sunday, 15 March, the same day they are scheduled to host Sevilla in La Liga at 16:15. League officials flagged that fixture with an asterisk, indicating it could be shifted to Saturday, 14 March, if European obligations forced Barcelona into action on the Tuesday.

By petitioning for the Wednesday slot, Barcelona hope to keep the domestic match on its original Sunday date, maximising voter turnout among club members. UEFA, which rarely alters the competition calendar once published, has yet to respond.

Should the request be granted, the first leg would kick off on Tuesday, 10 March, away from the Camp Nou, with the return meeting at home seven days later. Barcelona secured the right to stage the second leg by finishing inside the top eight of the league phase and will be drawn against one of the teams advancing from this week’s knockout play-offs.

The identity of their opponent will be confirmed on Friday. After the opening play-off fixtures, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United have emerged as the most probable adversaries. PSG beat Monaco 3-2 in the principality, while Newcastle overwhelmed Qarabag 6-1 at St James’ Park. AS Monaco and the Azerbaijani champions remain mathematical possibilities, though they face uphill second-leg tasks.

UEFA’s decision on Barcelona’s scheduling plea is now eagerly awaited, as any change would ripple through the Champions League calendar and affect broadcast, travel and security arrangements across two match weeks.