Barcelona face Real looking to rebound from European disappointment

MADRID: Barcelona's woeful European form has cast a shadow over their domestic resurgence, which will face the ultimate test on Sunday (Oct 16) when they visit Real Madrid in a much anticipated El Clasico in LaLiga.

A revamped Barca, spearheaded by new signing Robert Lewandowski, have won seven consecutive LaLiga matches and share the lead at the top of standings on 22 points with Spanish and European champions Real.

However, their dreadful results in the Champions League have taken the shine off their domestic form and a 3-3 draw against Inter Milan on Wednesday left them on the verge of elimination from Europe's elite competition at the group stage for the second straight season.

Barca have won only one of their four Champions League group matches and if Inter win against minnows Viktoria Plzen in their next match it will be curtains for the Catalans.

Crashing out at the group stage again would be a huge blow to Barcelona's finances, whose perilous state led the club's board to sell a stake in their TV rights and agree the sale of their audio-visual division.

As part of this year's budget, presented to the club's Assembly of Committee Members last Sunday, the board predicted that Barca would reach the Champions League quarter-finals and win the LaLiga title.

A bold and optimist view that a few days later appeared somewhat detached from reality, with Barcelona now facing a possible 40 million euros ($39 million) blow to their 2022-23 income should they exit the Champions League.

They now face an in-form Real Madrid who cruised into the Champions League knockouts with two games to spare after a 1-1 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Carlo Ancelotti's unbeaten team have begun this campaign where they left off last season, when