sport news PETE JENSON: Barcelona to lose out on £18m if they fail to get out of their ... trends now
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Barcelona's ability to rattle Bayern Munich in the first half at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night has left the club confident that they can be serious contenders for this season's tournament, but the subsequent 2-0 defeat has also thrown-up a sobering reality.
Xavi's side now face a must-win two-game play off with Inter Milan that will cost the club £18million if they don't come through it. Being drawn into the toughest Champions League group was always going to be a test for the team built in the summer at the cost of over £130m.
But losing once more in Munich means the hour of reckoning comes as early as October 4 when Barca visit Milan to play Inter, and October 10 when they play them at the Camp Nou.
Xavi's Barcelona side must get the better of Inter Milan or face Champions League elimination
Simone Inzaghi's Inter are level on points with Barcelona on three points after two games
Barcelona president Joan Laporta gave the club the green light to spend £130m this summer, but he expects the team to make the Champions League knockout stages
If, as expected, Bayern win their double-header with Viktoria Plzen they will be through and Inter and Barca will have to scrap for the second spot. Barcelona cannot afford to fail.
The club have budgeted for reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League minimum this season, and a second season in the Europa League will deal a crushing blow to their attempts to consolidate financially after a summer spent mortgaging the club's
