Champions League recap: Barcelona copybook blotted by Juve defeat

Barcelona's domestic form has been up and down, but five wins on the bounce in Group G ensured qualification for the last 16 which was marred only by defeat by Juventus on Matchday 6.

Campaign so far

Group G runners-up: W5 D0 L1 F16 A5
Top scorer: Martin Braithwaite, Ousmane Dembélé, Lionel Messi (3)

20/10: Barcelona 5-1 Ferencváros (Messi 27pen, Fati 42, Coutinho 52, Pedri 82, Dembélé 89; Kharatin 70pen)
28/10: Juventus 0-2 Barcelona (Dembélé 14, Messi 90+1pen)
04/11: Barcelona 2-1 Dynamo Kyiv (Messi 5pen, Piqué 65; Tsygankov 75)
24/11: Dynamo Kyiv 0-4 Barcelona (Dest 52, Braithwaite 57 70pen, Griezmann 90+2)
02/12: Ferencváros 0-3 Barcelona (Griezmann 14, Braithwaite 21, Dembélé 28pen)
08/12: Barcelona 0-3 Juventus (Ronaldo 13 pen, 52 pen, McKennie 20)

Their campaign in ten words: In transition; well-oiled machine in Europe but misfiring at home.

UEFA.com reporter's view

When I interviewed Ronald Koeman about his appointment he spoke of the squad needing to work for one another, to get a new system that favoured the skills available in this playing group, and about regeneration.

Tick all three boxes after their group display: not only their five straight wins, but the confidence, hard work, pressing, fluidity of performance and frankly, when things went against them, the excellence of Marc-André ter Stegen at home to Dynamo Kyiv.
Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter

What we’ve learned

Domestically, Koeman's debut campaign in charge has been up and down, but the UEFA Champions League has proved a refuge for the Dutchman, who won his first five games in the competition, including an impressive 2-0 victory at Juventus. They do, however, remain fragile at the back and the injured Gerard Piqué is sorely missed – never more so than in the Matchday 6 loss to Juve, which saw them finish second in Group G on head-to-head.

Squad changes

In: none
Out: Carles Aleñá

Key stats

• Koeman became the fifth coach to take charge of at least six teams in the UEFA Champions League after Carlo Ancelotti (eight), Claudio Ranieri, José Mourinho and Rafael Benítez (all six).

• Barcelona had topped their group for 13 seasons in a row before being overhauled by Juve this time around.

• Barcelona became the first team ever to have two goalscorers aged 17 or under in a UEFA Champions League match when Ansu Fati and Pedri struck against Ferencváros in their group opener.

Who's in charge?

Celebrated former Netherlands defender and set-piece expert Koeman is seeking to rekindle early coaching success at the club where he spent six golden years as a player, scoring the winning goal in their first European Cup triumph in 1992.