Previous opening games in the Champions League

The Champions League anthem will be playing before a Barça match for the first time this season in Monaco on Thursday, home of the very same side that recently came to Catalonia to contest the Gamper Trophy. Monaco won that game, but hopefully things will be very different when the sides now meet in a competitive scenario.

It wouldn't be unusual for Barça to win their first Champions League game. In fact, of the 28 times that they have competed under the new format, the Catalans have got off to a winning start in 20, a massive 71%, with six games ending in draws and only two in defeat.

Last defeat against Bayern Munich

The most recent of those opening losses happened just three years ago, in 2021, when Barça were defeated by a Bayern Munich side featuring a man who has since switched to blaugrana, Robert Lewandowski. The Germans ran out clear 3-0 winners on that occasion.

Big wins

But that was very much the exception to the rule. In fact, there have been some huge opening day wins for Barça, including the 5-0 trouncing of Royal Antwerp last season. But the most impressive start of all was in 2016 under Luis Enrique, when Celtic were swept aside to the tune of a 7-0 victory.