Champions League: Barcelona vs Olympiacos - Preview, Key Stats, Line-Ups & Prediction

Barcelona enter this week’s Champions League encounter against Olympiacos eager to rediscover their rhythm after a turbulent spell in both domestic and European competition.

Hansi Flick’s men currently sit 16th in the Champions League league phase standings, having followed up a narrow victory over Newcastle United with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.

That European setback was compounded by a shocking 4-1 loss to Sevilla in La Liga, leaving Barça in a low mood heading into the international break.

However, their resilience showed in the Catalan derby against Girona, where Ronald Araújo’s dramatic 93rd-minute header salvaged a 2-1 victory after Axel Witsel had cancelled out Pedri’s opener.

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The late win not only lifted team morale but also kept the Blaugrana within two points of arch-rivals Real Madrid ahead of next weekend’s El Clásico showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Before that high-stakes clash, Barcelona will turn their attention to European duties at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, their first meeting with Olympiacos since the 2017/18 group stage.

Historically, the Catalans have dominated Greek opposition, winning all their home fixtures, including a 3-1 triumph over Olympiacos seven years ago.

Flick will draw confidence from his past success against the Greek champions, having overseen Bayern Munich’s 2-0 victory against them in the 2019/20 campaign — a season that ended with him lifting the Champions League trophy.

For Olympiacos, this marks their return to Europe’s elite competition for the first time since 2020/21, following last season’s domestic title triumph. Under José Luis Mendilibar, who guided the club to UEFA Conference League glory last year, the Piraeus-based side began their campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Pafos before falling 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates.

A 2-1 loss to rivals PAOK in the Greek Super League added to their woes, though they bounced back last weekend with a 2-0 win over AEL Larissa — powered by Ayoub El Kaabi’s first-half brace. The Moroccan striker remains their biggest attacking threat as they chase their first Champions League goal of the season.

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Still, Olympiacos face a daunting task in Spain. The Greek giants have lost each of their last 11 matches in the Champions League league phase, and Mendilibar’s personal record against Barcelona (23 defeats in 27 games) hardly inspires confidence.

• Matches Played: 2

• Barcelona Wins: 1

• Draws: 1

• Olympiacos Wins: 0

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Barcelona (4-3-3): Szczesny; Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Martín; De Jong, García, Casado; Yamal, Fermin, Rashford

Olympiacos (4-2-3-1): Tzolakis; Costinha, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; García, Hezze; Martins, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi

Barcelona will look to dominate possession and exploit Olympiacos’ defensive vulnerabilities. While the visitors may pose a counter-attacking threat through El Kaabi, Flick’s men should have too much quality at home.

Predicted Score: Barcelona 3–0 Olympiacos