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Barca face European reality check on road to recovery

Team MVR

Joan Laporta claimed Barcelona are “back as big players” but Thursday will mark another checkpoint in the club’s decline as they face Napoli in the knock-out stage of the Europa League.

After failing to make it out of their Champions League group, Barca will play in Europe’s second-tier tournament for the first time since losing to Celtic at the last-16 stage in March 2004.

Laporta was in the opening season of his first spell as president that year and while Barcelona’s fortunes would soon improve exponentially as Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi got to work, nobody can be optimistic a similar transformation is close now.

There are some positive signs that head coach Xavi Hernandez is steering the team in the right direction, even if erratic results and performances are a reminder of the work still to be done.

Barca defeated Atletico Madrid 4-2 earlier this month in one of the most encouraging displays under Xavi, but a 2-2 draw away at city rivals Espanyol last weekend saw doubts resurface ahead of the visit of Napoli to the Camp Nou.

The youthful Barca side’s attempt to rebuild their reputation in the Europa League will come under a severe examination against opponents who sit third in Serie A and have conceded only 17 goals in 25 matches.

“Napoli are a Champions League-level opponent, one of the most difficult teams we could have drawn,” said Xavi.

Luciano Spalletti’s side are fighting to win their third Serie A title — after Diego Maradona left Barcelona and inspired Napoli to become champions in 1987 and 1990.

“The game will be a tribute to Maradona,” said Xavi.

Europa League success is now a priority for Barcelona, something that would have been unthinkable until recently for a club who won the Champions League three times in seven years midway through the last decade.

Barcelona know that if they can make it to the Europa League final in Seville in May, there will be an alternative route to Champions League qualification, so crucial to Laporta’s hopes of financial recovery.