Barcelona will resume their UCL campaign on Tuesday when they take on SL Benfica at the Estádio da Luz in their seventh league match of the season.
He blaugrana They have been in formidable form, claiming wins in five of their six games played so far, accumulating 15 points and currently occupying second place, just behind Liverpool, who lead with a perfect record of 18 points.
How many points does Barcelona need?
As reported by SPORT, Barcelona’s qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League looks increasingly secure, with the Catalans needing just one more point to seal a place in the top eight, according to advanced AI analysis.
The new single league format involving 36 teams adds complexity, but with only two rounds left, the data suggests a clear path for the Catalan giants.
To clinch one of the top eight spots, which guarantees direct access to the knockout stages, Barcelona would only need to secure one additional point in their remaining matches.
This means that a draw in their next match against Benfica could mathematically confirm their place in the round of 16, assuming they are not significantly overtaken by their rivals.
With Barcelona’s current form, the AI estimates that even with the unpredictability of the new format, a simple draw or win would take them to a total of 16 or 18 points, well above the projected threshold of 16.08 points needed to finish in the top eight. .
That said, Barcelona would like to ensure their qualification chances by trying to get a win against Benfica and possibly a draw against Liverpool, which would take them to 19 points.
In any case, Barça cannot take the game against Benfica for granted, especially with rival coach Bruno Lage tactically prepared to face the Catalans.