Why is Barcelona Playing Their Champions League Match in the Early Slot
FC Barcelona is set to face Olympiacos from Greece on Tuesday at the Montjuic Stadium, marking their third match in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Currently, Barcelona has accumulated three points from two fixtures in this tournament, also known as “La Orejona.” They began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle at St. James Park, where Marcus Rashford scored both goals. However, they suffered a 1-2 defeat in their second game against defending champions PSG, managed by Luis Enrique, in their home city.
Barcelona’s Early Champions League Slot
This match against Olympiacos will take place at an unconventional time of 18:45 PM local time in Spain. This corresponds to 12:45 PM in Eastern Time (U.S.) and 10:45 PM in Mexico. The unusual timing is due to UEFA’s scheduling format, which divides matches into two distinct time slots each game day during the group stage.
Why is Barcelona Playing at This Time?
- Barcelona is one of four teams playing in the early slot this week.
- The early matches often include two games, with the majority occurring in the evening slot.
- Last season, Barcelona also played at 18:45 PM against Benfica in the round of 16, where they won 3-1 at home.
In addition to Barcelona versus Olympiacos, another early match on Tuesday features Kairat against Pafos in Almaty. The evening matches include prominent games such as Arsenal versus Atlético Madrid and Villarreal versus Manchester City.
Key Match Details
| Match | Date | Time (Local) | Time (ET) | Time (Mexico) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona vs Olympiacos | Tuesday | 18:45 PM | 12:45 PM | 10:45 PM |
As the Champions League progresses, all eyes will be on Barcelona as they aim to secure a crucial victory in this early match slot.
