Gerard Pique calls on Barcelona fans to get behind the team in their hour of need

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It’s not too much of an exaggeration to suggest that Wednesday night’s Champions League group stage game against Bayern Munich is Barcelona’s most important for two decades.

Not since 2002 have the Catalans been knocked out of European football’s premier competition so early, but they are on the brink of elimination.

If they lose in Bavaria and Benfica are triumphant against Dynamo Kyiv, then Xavi Hernandez’s side will drop down into the Europa League.

The financial consequences are likely to hit the club hard too.

Gerard Pique has been part of the club’s glory years and has called upon the fans to back the team.

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“It’s true that cannot give many reasons [to be confident] after what we’ve done throughout this year,” he was quoted as saying in Sport, cited by Football Espana.

“We’ve gotten into this situation because of our performances and results, but in these difficult moments it really shows if you’re a cule – [someone who] truly lives the club or only does so when we win.

“The love for the colours, for the shield, is shown in the bad times, when the team and the players suffer and we’re having a hard time.”

Joan Laporta and Xavi

Group stage elimination wouldn’t even be on the agenda had the club taken one of their many chances in the last game against Benfica, and had Ronald Araujo’s goal not been ruled out for offside.

Though it would likely be a disaster for the money men at the club, on the field Barca clearly aren’t equipped to beat Europe’s best at present, so playing in the secondary competition for half a season may not actually be that bad.

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