Whatever hopes Barcelona held for a triumphant season were dashed in a single night as they suffered a devastating defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, leading to their elimination from both the Champions League and contention for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Despite a promising first-leg victory, Barcelona found themselves on the receiving end of a crushing blow in the return fixture against PSG. Taking an early lead, they seemed poised for success with a 4-2 aggregate advantage.
However, the game took a drastic turn when Ronald Araujo’s expulsion left them with ten men. Ultimately, a 4-1 defeat sealed their fate, resulting in a 6-4 aggregate loss and their exit from Europe’s elite competition.
The ramifications extended beyond continental disappointment, as the defeat also extinguishes the hopes Barcelona held of participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The expanded tournament, set to host 12 European teams in the United States, will feature reigning Champions League winners from 2021 to 2024 alongside top-ranked clubs based on UEFA coefficients.
Despite Barcelona’s seventh position among the remaining contenders, tournament regulations stipulate that no more than two teams from the same country can qualify.
With Atletico Madrid securing a higher coefficient than Barcelona, they will join Real Madrid as Spain’s representatives in the prestigious Club World Cup.
The confirmed lineup for the tournament includes Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and potentially FC Salzburg or Arsenal, contingent upon the outcome of this season’s Champions League.
However, with Manchester City and Chelsea already guaranteed berths, Arsenal’s qualification hinges on a championship victory in this year’s competition.
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