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What do Barcelona need to qualify for Champions League last 16?
Barcelona are out to avoid a first group-stage exit in two decades when they face Bayern Munich in Champions League Group E on Wednesday.
Barcelona need already-out Dynamo Kiev to do them a favour in Wednesday’s final round of Champions League Group E matches. Otherwise, Xavi Hernández’s men will have to beat group winners Bayern Munich to go through to the knockout stages.
Follow Bayern Munich vs Barcelona live online: scores, stats and updates, Champions League 2021/22.
How things stand in Champions League Group E
Group E table ahead of matchday six
| P | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
| 1. Bayern Munich | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | +16 | 15 |
| 2. Barcelona | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 7 |
| 3. Benfica | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -4 | 5 |
| 4. Dynamo Kiev | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -8 | 1 |
After drawing 0-0 with Benfica at the Camp Nou on matchday five, Barça occupy the second qualification spot in the group and are two points ahead of the Portuguese club, who host Kiev, a side now guaranteed to finish bottom. The Blaugrana, meanwhile, face an away assignment against a Bayern team who have five wins out of five in this season’s group stage - including a 3-0 triumph in Barcelona in September - and secured top spot with a 2-1 victory over Kiev last time out.
What Barcelona must to do qualify for last 16
Having beaten Barcelona 3-0 in Lisbon on matchday two, Benfica have the head-to-head advantage over the Catalans, so Jorge Jesus' team will claim second place if the two sides finish level on points. Should Benfica beat Dynamo Kiev, therefore, a draw will not be enough for Barça against Bayern - only a win will do.
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If Benfica fail to take the three points against Kiev, on the other hand, Barcelona will qualify for the last 16 whatever their result in Munich.
When did Barcelona last fail to reach the last 16?
Barcelona last failed to make the Champions League knockout stages back in 2000/01, when they were eliminated in the first of two group phases after finishing third behind AC Milan and Leeds United. Then coached by Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, Barça began their campaign with a 4-0 home thumping of Leeds, but failed to win another game until the final round of Group H matches and were pipped to second by the Premier League club.
Having transferred to the UEFA Cup third round, Barça knocked out Club Brugge, AEK Athens and Celta Vigo to reach the semi-finals, before losing 1-0 on aggregate to Liverpool, who went on to lift the trophy after beating Alavés 5-4 in a thrilling final.
Since their early elimination two decades ago, Barça’s 19 Champions League campaigns prior to this season have yielded 19 knockout-stage appearances: four tournament wins, six semi-finals, six quarter-finals and three last-16 exits.
Barcelona last in UEFA Cup/Europa League 17 years ago
Should Barcelona finish third in Group E and drop into the Europa League on Wednesday, they will make their first appearance in UEFA's second-tier club competition since 2003/04, when a sixth-placed LaLiga finish the previous season meant they had to settle for a place in the UEFA Cup. In their first year under Frank Rijkaard, Barça saw off Matador Púchov, Panionios and Brondby in the opening three rounds of the tournament, before a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Celtic in the last 16.
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona: times and how to watch
Bayern Munich and Barcelona’s 2021/22 Champions League Group E match kicks off on Wednesday 8 December 2021 at 3pm ET/12 noon PT.
Viewers in the US can watch the game on TUDN USA, TUDN.com, TUDN App, Univision, Univision NOW and Paramount+.
You’ll also be able to follow live-text coverage of the clash with AS USA.