Barcelona will take on Benfica tonight with their sights set on breaking a long-standing streak in the Champions League.
The club has not won a first-leg match in the round of 16 since 2016, making this upcoming clash a crucial test.
The last time Barcelona managed to secure a victory in this stage was against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where a brace from Lionel Messi sealed a 2-0 win, paving the way for their qualification to the quarter-finals.
Barcelona’s struggle in first leg
Since that triumph, the Catalan giants have struggled in the first legs of the round of 16, recording four draws and two defeats.
In both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, they were unable to reach this stage at all, as they were eliminated in the group phase, marking a significant setback for a club of their stature.
The difficulties began in the 2016-17 season with a devastating 0-4 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. However, Barcelona famously turned things around with a historic 6-1 comeback at the Camp Nou.
| Season | Match | Result |
| 2015/16 | Arsenal vs Barcelona | 0-2 |
| 2016/17 | PSG vs Barcelona | 4-0 |
| 2017/18 | Chelsea vs Barcelona | 1-1 |
| 2018/19 | Lyon vs Barcelona | 0-0 |
| 2019/20 | Napoli vs Barcelona | 1-1 |
| 2020/21 | Barcelona vs PSG | 1-4 |
| 2023/24 | Napoli vs Barcelona | 1-1 |
In the following three campaigns, they were unable to win their opening fixtures but still managed to progress. In 2017-18, they drew 1-1 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge before securing a convincing 3-0 victory at home.
The 2018-19 season saw another draw, this time a goalless affair against Olympique Lyon, which was followed by a dominant 5-1 triumph at the Camp Nou.
In 2019-20, a 1-1 draw against Napoli at the San Paolo was played before the competition was halted due to the pandemic. When it resumed months later, Barcelona clinched qualification behind closed doors.
The 2020-21 season brought another setback, with a heavy 1-4 loss against PSG at the Camp Nou. Although they showed resilience in Paris with a 1-1 draw, it was not enough to overturn the deficit.
After failing to reach this stage for two consecutive seasons, Barcelona returned to the round of 16 last year. They once again faced Napoli, drawing 1-1 away before sealing their progression with a 3-1 win at Montjuïc.