This archive report was first published on 7 August 2020.
With the Champions League providing a welcome respite from their troubled La Liga campaign, Barcelona head into their last 16, second leg against Napoli with a sense of freedom they haven't felt in years.
Having been weighed down by the burden of expectation in recent years, the team should feel liberated ahead of Saturday's match at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona's advantage of an away goal from the 1-1 draw in Italy in February should give them confidence against a side that finished seventh in Serie A, but their miserable end to La Liga has left them outsiders in the competition.
"The fans are running out of patience because we're not giving them anything," said Lionel Messi, highlighting the need for a drastic change in their approach.
Despite their struggles, Barcelona still possess a talented squad, with Messi, Luis Suarez, and Antoine Griezmann forming a formidable attacking trio, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Ansu Fati, and Riqui Puig offering exciting young talents.
However, the team's mental fragility has been exposed too many times, and their reliance on individual genius and momentum in a knock-out tournament makes them unpredictable.
Coach Quique Setien is under pressure to deliver, but a defeat against Napoli or a humiliating loss to Bayern Munich could cost him his job.
As Barcelona look to revive their season, they must be more consistent and reliable, and their Champions League campaign offers a final shot in the dark at the end of a long and turbulent year.
