"Currently in 15th spot, it is a must-win game for the Catalans as they look to maintain their outside chance of finishing in the top eight with two back-to-back wins. Slavia Prague, with just three points in six matches, are one of the worst-performing teams in the Champions League this season. And to make things worse, they will be heading into this game on the back of no professional action in well over a month."
"The reason lies in the Czech First League's winter break, implemented to avoid the extreme cold common in Central Europe during this period. While they lead their domestic league by seven points, their last competitive outing was a 4-3 victory over Jablonec. Since then, they have relied solely on three friendlies (a loss to Basel, a draw with Karlsruhe, and a win over Brann) to maintain fitness."
Barcelona return to Champions League action next week against Slavia Prague on Wednesday. Barcelona sit 15th domestically and require a win to preserve an outside chance of finishing in the top eight with back-to-back victories. Slavia Prague have three points from six group matches and have not played an official match since December 13 due to the Czech First League winter break. Slavia lead their domestic league by seven points, but have only played three friendlies (loss to Basel, draw with Karlsruhe, win over Brann) since their 4-3 win over Jablonec. Temperatures around -5°C and Slavia's desperation make the fixture potentially dangerous; Barcelona are favored but must avoid underestimating conditions.
Read at Barca Universal
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