Barcelona’s 17-year streak of advancing to the Champions League knockout rounds each season ended with an exit from the group stage that failed to finish on time because of snow in Italy.
Barcelona fell to a 3-0 loss on Wednesday at Bayern Munich that dumped the five-time European champion into a dismal — and deserved - third place in Group E.
"We start a new era, from zero, from here," Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez, who rejoined a club in crisis last month, told broadcaster DAZN.
We need to work hard, many things that put Barcelona in this situation. But this is our reality. I cannot say anything else."
—Xavi Hernandez
Bayern's perfect six straight wins started with a 3-0 win at Camp Nou in September, and a repeat result at home let Benfica rise above Barcelona — and into the round-of-16 draw on Monday — by beating Dynamo Kyiv 2-0.
Before Lionel Messi left for PSG, in all 17 years of his first-team career at Barcelona the club took its place among the elite in the round of 16 each February. They won four Champions League titles in that era.
In the club's first post-Messi season, the Europa League playoffs now beckon after a group-stage campaign that brought more 3-0 losses (three) than goals scored (two).
The decline also extends at home and to the club's finances. A current seventh place in La Liga is outside the European qualification spots and years of big spending on wages mean there is no quick fix for the prodigal son who returned last month to coach the club.
"We need to work hard, many things that put Barcelona in this situation. But this is our reality. I cannot say anything else," Xavi said.
Bayern won its group with a 22-goal tally that was more than twice as many as the other three teams combined.
Goals from Thomas Müller, Leroy Sané and Jamal Musiala against Barcelona ensured Bayern matched Ajax and Liverpool who completed their six straight wins on Tuesday.
Bayern was joined by Salzburg in playing in empty stadiums just like 2020 in European football during the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Salzburg's first entry into the knockout rounds follows several years as junior partner to fellow Red Bull affiliate Leipzig, which placed third in its group Tuesday and will switch to the Europa League.
The round-of-16 draw is on Monday at 1100 GMT at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
