Waiting is over! UEFA Futsal Champions League continues today with Round of 32. The honor to open this round belongs to defending champions Barcelona and Kosovo champions Prishtina.
A few months back, Barcelona lifted the Champions League trophy thanks to two victories against KPRF and ElPozo Murcia in the Final Four tournament held at their home. Today, they start a new campaign trying to become the first team in history to lift the trophy two times in a season!
>>> Highlights: Barça wins the Futsal Champions League!
The first ones who will try to stop them in that intent are Kosovo champions FC Prishtina Futsal. Unlike the current champions, Prishtina is a debutant in the UEFA Futsal Champions League.
💪 El Prishtina s’entrena al Palau! / ¡Sesión de entrenamiento oficial del Prishtina de Kosovo en el Palau con el ex de Xota Alan como principal reclamo! pic.twitter.com/8UQfKihSNX
— Barça Futbol Sala (@FCBfutbolsala) January 14, 2021
Prishtina already played in this season's Champions League, beating Albanian champions Tirana in the process with a convincing 3-0 result.
>>> Highlights: Prishtina victorious in a duel against Tirana
Barcelona's head coach Andreu Plaza won't be able to count on the goalkeeper Didac, who tested positive on Covid; Aicardo, Adolfo, and Ferrao due to muscle injuries. Nevertheless, 11 members of the first team and the goalkeeper of the subsidiary team Óscar de la Faya will be at Plaza's disposal.
Standing in for Didac is Miquel Feixas, Barcelona-born goalkeeper who played in Barça's youth system, transferring to Industrias Santa Coloma two years ago. Over there he proved himself as a stand-out goalkeeper and a few months ago he returned to Barcelona with a contract up until 2024.
"Our mentality has to be the one where we go for it all, and if possible, winning the Champions League again and making history by being the first team to lift two in a season," says Feixas. "But above all, it's about respecting the opponent, the competition, and ourselves." said Feixas.
"We have to face the game thinking about ourselves and with the thought that we have to perform well, with maximum concentration." commented head coach Andreu Plaza
Prishtina, currently third in the Kosovo Futsal Superliga arrived in Barcelona in number and are hopeful that they can make use of Barça's missing players to create an upset - but they will have a mountain to climb.
The match is on schedule at 18:30 (local time) at Palau and will be broadcasted live on BarçaTV, BarçaTV+ and Esport3 for Spanish viewers. Viewers in and around the Kosovo area will be able to watch the match on TV Klan Kosova and Art Sport 1.
After training in Palau Balaugrana 🔥! See you tomorrow through TV Klan Kosova and Art Sport 1 [ LIVE - 18:30 ]. Një jetë, një Prishtinë 💙!
Posted by FC Prishtina Futsal on Thursday, 14 January 2021