Barcelona’s Champions League ‘unspoken priority’, says Mendieta

Barcelona’s return to Champions League action comes with increasing expectation, with former Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta identifying the competition as the club’s “unspoken priority” after their outstanding start to the season.

Hansi Flick’s side have won each of their first four La Liga matches, beating Elche, Athletic Bilbao, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia. They have scored 17 goals during that sequence, underlining the confidence and attacking threat they have carried into the new campaign.

Barcelona begin their European campaign against Feyenoord on Wednesday night, a fixture that appears to offer an early opportunity to extend their winning run. The Catalan club have looked almost unplayable in the opening weeks of Flick’s tenure, and Mendieta believes they are capable of challenging for the biggest prize in European club football.

Speaking to Casinolyze, Mendieta said Barcelona’s immediate domestic target was clear, but suggested the Champions League held a special importance for everyone connected with the club.

“I wouldn't say there is pressure on Barcelona to win the Champions League, but certainly excitement about it. Regarding La Liga, he's made it pretty clear that he wants to win a third consecutive championship.

“However, I think for the club, the fans, and especially the players, the Champions League is the trophy they want most this season. They've been so close for the past two years, and as you say, ten years is way too long for a club like this.

“Now that they are back among the elite after all those financial troubles and the resulting difficulty in signing players, they have found their identity again with the right coach and players like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Pedri. I think the Champions League is now the unspoken priority for the club and the players.”

Barcelona have not won the competition for more than a decade, a wait Mendieta considers unusually long for a club of their stature. They were also close to progressing further in recent campaigns, but their run in the 2025-26 Champions League ended in the quarter-finals when they were eliminated by Atletico de Madrid.

The club will now attempt to go all the way this season while also defending their La Liga title. Their perfect domestic start has strengthened belief that Flick’s team can compete on both fronts, with the opening meeting with Feyenoord providing the first test of their European ambitions.

Barcelona’s recent difficulties, including financial problems and the impact those issues had on their ability to sign players, had raised questions about their status among Europe’s leading clubs. Mendieta believes the team have now restored a clear identity, with Flick in charge and Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Pedri among the players central to their revival.

That combination of form, confidence and a renewed squad identity has made the Champions League the prize Barcelona’s supporters and players appear to value most, even as they pursue a third consecutive domestic championship.