Barcelona’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie at home to Napoli will be their most important game of the season, manager Xavi Hernandez said on Monday.

The first leg was 1-1 with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen cancelling out Robert Lewandowski’s strike. Who will have the last laugh on Tuesday? Both will gun for glory.

Barca have a chance to reach the quarter finals for the first time since 2020 after failing to get past the group stage in the past two seasons.

The last time they won a Champions League knockout game was in a 3-1 home win over Napoli in 2020. With the club third in La Liga, 8 points behind leaders Real Madrid, Europe is now the priority.

“The most important game of the season? Yes, it is, and we’re ready, we’re excited,” Xavi told a news conference.

“It’s been four years since we’ve been in the quarter finals and that’s how we see it, we want to compete against an opponent who, although they are not going through the best moment, have the base of the (2023) Scudetto champions.”

Barca’s title defence looks likely to end in failure, while Napoli’s is already over, with the Serie A champions seventh in the standings and 31 points adrift of leaders Inter Milan.

Francesco Calzona took over in February, Napoli’s third manager this season, and they are undefeated in their five games since then.

“Napoli have improved with the new coach, who is more dynamic and comfortable,” Xavi said.

“I expect a brave Napoli that plays from the back and presses high, that doesn’t speculate, has a lot of individual talent, it’s a big game and it’s a great team, current champions of Italy.”

Barcelona have struggled with injuries of late, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri among those unavailable, and Xavi confirmed that forward Ferran Torres, who has missed the last seven games with a hamstring problem, is still not ready to return.

“It’s a chance to be in the quarter finals, it’s a chance to turn the tables, the absences are not an excuse, we’re not afraid of failing, it’s a chance to compete in front of our fans.”

Gunners’ challenge

Arsenal will look to overturn the 0-1 deficit from first leg when they take on Porto at home on Tuesday. Galeno’s brilliant last-gasp strike in the first leg had stunned the Gunners.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left frustrated that his side failed to hit their stride in the first leg, failing to register a shot on target in a match for the first time in two years. He will not want his team to be eliminated at the last-16 stage for the eighth time in a row.