FC Barcelona has asked UEFA to move the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 match to Wednesday, March 18, to avoid clashing with the club's presidential elections. The elections are set for Sunday, March 15, the same day as a La Liga fixture against Sevilla. This request comes as Barcelona awaits confirmation of their opponent in the knockout stage.
FC Barcelona faces a scheduling conflict between its upcoming presidential elections and Champions League commitments. The club will hold elections on Sunday, March 15, coinciding with a La Liga match against Sevilla scheduled for 16:15. This timing was chosen to encourage higher participation among club members.
La Liga has noted the fixture with an asterisk, indicating it could shift to Saturday if Barcelona's Champions League second leg falls on Tuesday, March 17. To prevent this, Barcelona has formally requested UEFA to set the second leg for Wednesday, March 18, according to reports from ESPN via SPORT. The first leg would then occur on Tuesday, March 10, away from home.
As one of the top eight teams in the group stage, Barcelona will host the second leg against a side advancing from the playoff round. Potential opponents include Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, AS Monaco, or Qarabag. Current form suggests PSG or Newcastle as frontrunners: PSG defeated Monaco 3-2 away, while Newcastle won 6-1 at Qarabag in their playoff first legs.
The official draw to determine Barcelona's matchup is scheduled for Friday. UEFA's response to the rescheduling request remains pending, as such changes are uncommon and could impact the broader competition calendar.