Xavi adamant Barcelona must end group stage hoodoo as they prepare to get Champions League campaign underway against Royal Antwerp

Xavi remained cautious ahead of Barcelona's Champions League opener as he set an initial target of qualifying from the group stage.

Xavi cautious ahead of the Champions League opener
Wants to cross the group stage first
Barcelona face Antwerp in first match

WHAT HAPPENED? Barcelona will be high on confidence ahead of their Champions League opener against Royal Antwerp, as they are on the back of a 5-0 win over Real Betis. Yet manager Xavi remained cautious ahead of the European clash as he reminded the club's record in the past two seasons where they failed to progress from the group stages.

The Barcelona manager, for now, has set a basic target for his team and that is to progress to the knockout stage.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to reporters ahead of their Champions League opener, Xavi said, "The players are very enthusiastic, but we must not have an obsession. We must be ourselves and impose our personality. The goal for now is to pass the group stage, then we will talk.

"Last year, in Europe, we were good in terms of play but not in results. Now we have strengthened ourselves and we have to show that we can compete and fight for it."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: In 2021/22, Barcelona could not make it to the Round of 16 after finishing third behind Bayern Munich and Benfica and last season it was Inter who progressed alongside Bayern to the next round ahead of the Catalan giants.

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