Big guns wary of misfire against upstarts

CHAMPIONS League fever hits full throttle this week as Europe’s elite prepare for quarter-final first legs – and there’s no shortage of drama, ambition or respect among the final eight.

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Barcelona remain unbeaten in 2025, but manager Hansi Flick is determined to keep his players grounded ahead of Wednesday night’s heavyweight clash against Borussia Dortmund.

Barça currently sit top of the LaLiga standings ahead of Real Madrid, with eight matches to play, and are set to face their fierce rivals in the Copa del Rey final later this month. But Flick is clear nothing is won yet.

“We can dream, but players and coaches must keep our feet on the ground,” he said during Tuesday’s press conference.

“We have to reflect on what we’ve achieved through hard work – and recognise that it cannot stop here. We must pull out all the stops to keep pushing forward.

“We want to continue our unbeaten run this year, but we’ll need to be at our best against a very strong opponent.”