Barcelona Gears Up for Tough Champions League Campaign

Barcelona's pursuit of UEFA Champions League glory has been reignited with the unveiling of the 2025-26 league phase draw. The Catalan giants find themselves in a challenging group, set to face formidable opponents including French champions Paris Saint-Germain and English powerhouse Chelsea. Barcelona Vice President Rafa Yuste, present at the draw in Monaco, conveyed the club's unwavering resolve to compete for Europe's most coveted trophy.

"It's already an honor for us to be in this event, which is the best competition in the world," Yuste stated. "And I can say that we'll have to work, work, and work with humility to fight for what all of us culés yearn for, which is to win the Champions League. We respect each opponent enormously, and as Flick says, we'll give it our all, taking it step by step. We have to show enormous respect to the teams, because only by being very focused can we win this Champions League."

Fermín López Stays: Barcelona Dismisses Chelsea Transfer Rumors

Amidst the excitement of the Champions League draw, Vice President Yuste also addressed persistent speculation regarding the future of promising young midfielder Fermín López. Reports had indicated strong interest from Chelsea, with some suggesting Barcelona had set a hefty €90 million price tag for the player.

Yuste, however, was unequivocal in his response, firmly shutting down any notion of a transfer. "[Fermín?] He's a Barça player. Fermín has a contract with the club and we're very happy with him," he affirmed. This statement underscores Barcelona's intent to retain the talented midfielder, who is seen as an integral part of the club's future plans.

Barcelona's last Champions League triumph was a decade ago, a period during which Real Madrid has dominated the competition. However, with a rich history of four titles between 2005 and 2015, and a semi-final run last season, there's a renewed sense of hope within the club. The upcoming home fixture against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain is undoubtedly poised to be one of the headline encounters of the league phase, with the exact schedule to be released soon.