Dutch media have focused their attention on FC Barcelona ahead of their 2026-27 Champions League debut. The newspaper Voetbal warned Feyenoord about "facing a tough challenge against an 'almost perfect' Barcelona", as reported by Mundo Deportivo on September 7.
Hansi Flick's team faces their first match in the top continental competition on Wednesday at 18:45 at the Spotify Camp Nou with very high morale. Barça leads La Liga with 12 points after four wins, two points ahead of Alaves. They have scored 17 goals and conceded only two, for a +15 goal difference. This performance has attracted attention beyond Spain.
How is Barcelona arriving at this match?
The Blaugrana face Feyenoord after a 0-5 thrashing of Valencia. That victory completes a streak of four consecutive league wins. However, the team must manage several important absences for this European debut. On the injuries list are Eric García, Frenkie de Jong, Jesse Bisiwu and Roony Bardghji.
Despite these absences, Flick's squad has shown defensive solidity and great offensive power. Their next league commitment is against Levante, tenth in the table, on September 13. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page.
What are the Dutch media saying?
Xavier Muñoz, correspondent for Mundo Deportivo, points out that "the spectacular start in La Liga by FC Barcelona is impressive beyond borders". The Dutch press has analysed in detail the Catalan team's current form, underlining their favourite status for Wednesday's match.
The focus has not only been on results, but also on the football displayed. The effectiveness in both attack and defence has created a perception of a complete team that is difficult to beat. This external view matches the objective data from the standings, where Barça is the only team with a perfect record.
What is Feyenoord's situation?
The opponent for the European debut arrives in Barcelona after a complicated week. Their manager, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, a former Blaugrana player, called it "turbulent" and "full of events". Forward Anis Hadj Moussa was close to a record sale of 40 million euros to Saudi side Al-Ittihad, but the operation did not materialise.
Van Bronckhorst left Hadj Moussa out of the squad that visited NEC for arriving late on two occasions. Despite this, the player trained normally on Monday and will travel to Barcelona on Tuesday. Feyenoord beat NEC 1-3, showing their ability to overcome off-pitch distractions.
What does Flick's team still need?
The Dutch analysis has also focused on a possible weak point in the Barcelona project. Several outlets suggest Barça still requires a classic 'number nine', a reference centre-forward. The main candidate to fill that position during the transfer market was Argentine Julián Álvarez from Atlético de Madrid.
That transfer did not happen and the team faces the season with the first-team squad. Hansi Flick will have to find solutions within his squad to optimise attacking play in tighter matches. The effectiveness shown so far, however, suggests the team has managed to compensate for that possible shortcoming with high-performance collective play.
The match against Feyenoord is the first European test for a Barcelona that wants to confirm its excellent form. The Dutch team will try to exploit any gap in a block that, from the outside, looks very solid. Barcelona will play their next league match on September 13 away to Levante.
