During a time when Barcelona are already in a deep financial crisis, they could stand to lose out on another €50 million this summer.
FIFA is set to implement a new model for the 2025 Club World Cup. Ten teams from the UEFA contingent will be a part of this competition, with a total of 32 across the world competing for the trophy every four years.
The ten European teams will be chosen on the basis of their positioning on the coefficient ranking, with Spain getting two slots. Real Madrid have been given one of it, after winning the 2021/22 title.
And currently, Barcelona sit just below Atletico Madrid in that ranking, who will likely be given the spot over the Catalans.
Chelsea and Manchester City are other teams that have been granted automatic qualification, owing to their success in the Champions League over the last four years.
Each team will receive €50 million for participating in the competition, plus additional bonuses for winning games, and of course, winning the overall tournament, as well.
Barcelona will miss out on this massive sum of money if they are unable to qualify for the tournament. But how can they avoid that? Well, as it turns out there are three ways to still somehow reach that summit.
1. Hope for Atleti’s elimination
Things would have been simpler had Atletico Madrid lost to Inter Milan in the Champions League round of 16, but thanks to the brilliance of Jan Oblak, Diego Simeone’s side prevailed following a penalty shoot-out.
Now a part of the quarter-finals draw, Barcelona should be hoping that not only do the Spanish giants get eliminated in this round, but also not win either of the two legs against whichever team they draw.
While of course, winning as many games as possible themselves. Victor Osimhen’s goal in the first leg did enough damage to that cause, already.
2. Win the Champions League
The more straightforward route, of course, will be to win the Champions League. The winner of this season, alongside Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Chelsea, will be granted automatic qualification for the tournament.
Barcelona have already started their hike, overcoming Napoli in the round of 16, and now could be drawn against any one of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and PSG for the quarters.
Most of these teams are stronger, on paper, at least, than Barcelona, and a draw against Manchester City or Bayern Munich could especially spell trouble.
3. Invite from FIFA
Well, as it turns out, there is a wildcard option to get into the 2025 FIFA World Cup for Barcelona. FIFA have reserved two invites for the competition that will be sent out following this season and ahead of the draw to any two teams across the world.
No criteria for this has been set, but presumably one can imagine it being given out to a team that participates in some form of social justice, at some level.
Alternatively, it could be given to an underdog team that has taken everyone by storm this season. Bayer Leverkusen, for example, are leading the Bundesliga, and could be the team FIFA send the invite to.
As far as Barcelona are concerned, the club are in beef with UEFA and FIFA over their involvement in the European Super League, and the organisation will likely not extend this favour to them, unless some things change very quickly.
