FC Barcelona and José Luis Mendilibar cross paths once again this Tuesday at 6.45pm CEST at thew Estadi Olimpic, this time in the Champions League group stage. The current Olympiacos boss is a familiar face to Barça fans, having faced the Catalans a total of 25 times over the years.

Classic coach

The Basque coach has been a regular figure in Spanish football throughout his long career, managing a string of top-flight sides and, as a result, coming up against Barça on many occasions. His first meeting with the Catalans came back in 2007 when he was in charge of Real Valladolid, and the most recent was with Sevilla in 2023. Between those two, he also faced Barça while managing Osasuna, Levante, Eibar and Alavés – six different clubs in total. The record strongly favours Barça: 21 wins, three draws and just one defeat, with a goal difference of 79 scored and 14 conceded.

Third UCL meeting

This will be only the third time that Barça and Olympiacos have gone head-to-head, following their two clashes in October 2017. The first, at the Camp Nou, ended in a 3–1 win for Barça, a match remembered for Leo Messi’s 100th European goal, scored with a trademark free-kick. The return leg in Piraeus, at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, finished in a goalless draw.

Strong against Greeks

Beyond Olympiacos, Barça have also met several other Greek sides over the years – including PAOK Thessaloniki, AEK Athens, Panathinaikos and Panionios – recording 10 wins, two draws and just two defeats.

On Tuesday evening, Catalans and Greeks will write a new chapter in this story. Mendilibar’s Olympiacos have picked up just one point from two games, while Hansi Flick’s men, after defeat to PSG, will be desperate for three points to stay on course for a top-eight finish and secure direct passage to the last 16.

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