Barcelona fails to extend 17-year streak in Champions League knockout stage

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - An ineffective Barcelona again irked fans this week by failing to live up to expectations in the UEFA Champions League.

The Spanish club's 17 straight knockout stage appearances in the tournament were snapped by a 3-0 defeat Wednesday to Bayern Munich.

The result went far beyond the loss. The defeat in Munich meant a group-phase exit for Barcelona.

After finishing Group E below Bayern Munich and Benfica, Barcelona were knocked out of the tournament.

The two best teams in the group, Bayern Munich and Benfica, reserved places in the Round of 16.

Third-place Barcelona joined the second-tier UEFA Europa League playoffs prior to the Round of 16 -- a huge disappointment for a club that won the Champions League during the last decade in 2011 and 2015.

Barca were at the top of Europe's elite but now they find it hard to satisfy fans on the pitch.

A Champions League knockout stage regular they last played in Europe's second-flight tournament in the 2003-04 season.

The Spanish team were eliminated by Scotland's Celtic on a 1-0 aggregate in the UEFA Cup last 16 in 2004.

The Cup was rebranded the UEFA Europa League in the 2009-10 season.

So, Barcelona will play in the Europa League playoffs in February.

It played consecutively in the Champions League last 16 from 2005 - 2021.

During 17 seasons, Barcelona were crowned champions four times in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015 - the club's best performances during that time.

It was the second-longest streak in the Champions League.

- Real Madrid keeping record going with 25 seasons

Barcelona’s bitter rivals Real Madrid are still the record holder with 25 consecutive seasons.

Real Madrid is adding to the record as this week they won Group D with 15 points, battling second-place Inter Milan, Sheriff and Shakhtar Donetsk.

One of the Champions League frequenters, Real Madrid qualified for at least the Round of 16 for 25 straight years starting with the 1997-98 season.

The Whites won the tournament seven times in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

- Bayern Munich have 14 straight qualifications

German powerhouse Bayern Munich, who were the former champions, managed to reach the knockout stage 14 seasons in a row.

Since the 2008-09 season, Bayern Munich made it to at least the Round of 16 in the top-tier competition.

In the 2007-08 season, the German team reached the UEFA Cup semifinals but was eliminated by Russia's Zenit St. Petersburg.

Zenit made their way to the final, beating Bayern Munich on a 5-1 aggregate.

Bayern Munich has won the Champions League trophy twice in 2013 and 2020 and played in the final in 2010 and 2012.

- PSG in last 16 for 10 straight seasons

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reached the Champions League knockout stage for tenth straight year.

The Lionel Messi-led PSG completed Group A in the second position Tuesday with 11 points.

The French giants are just below group winners Manchester City, who had 12 points in six matches.

Both clubs reached the last 16 in the tournament.

Fueled by Gulf investment, PSG has been a terrifying club in the 2010s and 2020s.

After the Qatar Sports Investments purchased the club in 2011, PSG kicked off a long-term project to create a powerful team.

PSG have been a Champions League knockout phase regular since 2013.

Their best performance was in the 2020 final they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich in Lisbon.