The Champions League is a competition that Barcelona has a special history with. La Blaugrana have experienced great heights in the European competition, but have also suffered traumatic defeats. Ultimately, it has been a unique journey by itself.
However, recent iterations of the competition have been particularly brutal on the Catalans. Having failed to reach the knockout stages in both of the previous editions, Xavi’s Barcelona will be determined to ensure it does not happen a third time.
For this to become a reality, Barcelona will need to achieve a positive result against FC Porto. Within less than a few hours, Barça will welcome their Portuguese opponents to the Montjuic Stadium.
Many interesting duels are expected on the field, but perhaps none more so than one between two extremes of the competition.
As SPORT points out, Portuguese defender Pepe is now back in the squad list for Porto. He has recovered from his previous injury and is now available for selection.
Having famously played for Real Madrid before and having competed in several of the most iconic El Clasicos that took place, Pepe and Barcelona are no strangers to one another.
Moreover, Pepe would be entering this game as the oldest player in the current UEFA Champions League campaign. At 40 years and 9 months of age, the Portuguese defender has a great deal of experience under his belt. Ironically, he will be coming up against the youngest player in the competition, as SPORT highlights.
Lamine Yamal, aged just 16, will be up against Pepe, aged 40. This surreal difference in age means that the competition’s oldest player will be taking on its youngest competitor. Having previously tested and vexed the likes of Lionel Messi in El Clasico, it seems that this may just be a rite of passage for young Lamine Yamal.
Moreover, the youngster will be hoping to add a new record to his already impressive list too. The current name that holds the record for being the youngest goal scorer in Champions League history is Ansu Fati. Yamal, still almost a year younger than when Fati scored his, has the great opportunity to make that record his own.
