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Barcelona produce motivational video for Champions League comeback

Dirty Tackle

Barcelona find themselves in a situation they aren't often in -- trailing Milan 2-0 after the first leg of a Champions League round of 16 tie. So to remind fans (and perhaps themselves) that this can be turned around before the threat of elimination becomes a reality, Barca put out a short video showing several goals in the club's greatest comebacks throughout history.

Said Xavi upon returning from Milan (via Marca):

"The result is a very bad one. There are 90 minutes left to play at the Camp Nou and Milan will close up shop even more. They were spectacular defensively. We didn't create the danger that we normally create. It wasn't a good game. This generation has yet to make a historic comeback and we'd like to do it. We owe it to the fans. We'll go all out to make a comeback," said Xavi.

In an article highlighting some of Barca's best European comebacks, the most recent one listed was in April 2000, when they lost 3-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and then won the second leg 5-1 in extra time to reach the semifinals. That was 13 years ago, though. So it seems Xavi has a point in saying this current Barca core has yet to achieve something like this. Mostly because they've grown so used to dominating their opposition from the start that they rarely find themselves more than one goal down.

And just to reinforce the positive vibes, their site also notes that the date of the second leg against Milan, March 12, happens to be a lucky one for the club.

The game against AC Milan will be on March 12, a date that brings back positive memories for Barcelona. That was the day in 1997 when the Camp Nou lived yet another incredible evening, this time in the Copa del Rey. In an unforgettable encounter against Atlético Madrid, Barça were 3-0 down at half time. But then the side managed by the late Bobby Robson produced 45 minutes of magic. Pizzi scored the definite goal in a manic match that ended 5-4, and a few weeks later, Barça would be lifting the 1996/97 cup trophy in Madrid.

Consider this a warning, Milan.