Barcelona fell short of expectations in the UEFA Champions League this season, finishing third in their group behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, thus eliminated from the knockout stage of competition.
As third-place finishers in the group, however, the Blaugrana have a chance to come good as they drop to the Europa League. While it’s not nearly the same calibre of competition, and doesn’t come with the same prize money either, Xavi’s side will look to earn some good will by progressing deep into the Europa League.
The competition will resume after the 2022 World Cup concludes and the calendar turns to 2023, but the playoff round draw will set the stage for the knockout stage by selecting the matchups.
All Europa League sides finishing first in their group earn a bye to the Round of 16, and will have to wait months to learn their next opponent. Champions League drop-ins, like Barcelona, will be drawn against Europa League group runners-up in the knockout playoff draw to take place Monday, November 7 at 12 p.m. GMT (7 a.m. ET).
MORE: When is the Champions League round of 16 draw?
Barcelona Europa League knockout playoff potential fixtures
Because Barcelona finished third in their Champions League group, they drop to the Europa League and will need to progress through the knockout playoff round to reach the competition’s Round of 16.
Barcelona cannot be drawn against other Spanish clubs in either the knockout playoff round or the Round of 16.
There are no Spanish sides in the knockout playoff round draw, so Barcelona will be eligible to face any of the eight available teams. However, Real Betis and Real Sociedad loom as Round of 16 participants, and should Barcelona reach that stage, they could not be drawn against either side.
Potential knockout playoff opponents for Barcelona:
- PSV Eindhoven (NED)
- Stade Rennes (FRA)
- AS Roma (ITA)
- Union Berlin (GER)
- Manchester United (ENG)
- Midtjylland (DEN)
- Nantes (FRA)
- AS Monaco (FRA)
Barcelona Europa League knockout playoff schedule
As an unseeded team, Barcelona will play the first leg of their Europa League knockout playoff tie at home, with the return leg on the road.
The first leg of matches are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 16, 2023, with that match at the Camp Nou. The second leg, to be played on the road, will take place the following week on February 23.
Due to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, UEFA competitions taking a bigger break than usual between the group stages and knockout rounds.
MORE: How much money do Champions League teams win?
Barcelona Europa League history
Barcelona had never played in the Europa League before last season, when they dropped from the Champions League for the first time ever. In last year’s competition, they ousted Napoli in the knockout playoff round and downed Galatasaray in the Round of 16 before falling to eventual champions Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinals.
They have now entered the Europa League in the same manner, doing so two seasons in a row after never having done so previously.
| Season | Round | Aggregate Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | Quarterfinals | Eintracht Frankfurt 4-3 Barcelona |
Barcelona odds to win Europa League 2022/23
Despite their spotty results this season in European play, Barcelona remain one of the top sides to win the Europa League thanks to dominant domestic success and their stature as one of the top clubs in Europe.
Arsenal, as Premier League leaders, are the top team in the competition according to bookmakers. Fellow English club Manchester United are considered top contenders too.
Barcelona sees two Spanish clubs amongst the top contenders as well, with Real Betis and Real Sociedad appearing. Italian side Juventus is up there as well, alongside fellow Serie A side Roma.
Europa League winner odds for 2022/23
| BetMGM (USA) |
Sports Interaction (Canada) |
SkyBet (UK) |
Ladbrokes (Australia) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | +400 | 3.86 | 4/1 | 5.00 |
| Barcelona | +400 | 4.02 | 9/2 | 5.50 |
| Man United | +600 | 6.36 | 6/1 | 7.00 |
| Real Betis | +1000 | 9.00 | 14/1 | 15 |
| Juventus | +1200 | 11.58 | 14/1 | 15 |
| AS Roma | +1400 | 12.00 | 20/1 | 19 |
| Ajax | +1600 | 11.58 | 12/1 | 17 |
| Real Sociedad | +1800 | 13.00 | 14/1 | 15 |
| Freiburg | +1800 | 13.00 | 20/1 | 21 |
| Sevilla | +1800 | 16.11 | 16/1 | 15 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | +2500 | 19.89 | 16/1 | 17 |
| Stade Rennes | +2500 | 26.00 | 40/1 | 41 |
