FC Barcelona has been in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds every year since 2005. That streak was snapped in its final group-stage match of the 2021-22 edition. For a team struggling with financial troubles after losing club icon Lionel Messi in the summer, it's a fall from grace that many saw coming despite a recent coaching change.

The Blaugrana (7 points) were unseated in second place in Group E by Benfica (8 points): Barcelona lost 3-0 against Bayern Munich and third-place Benfica beat Dynamo Kiev comfortably 2-0. 

With Benfica winning its home game against last-place Dynamo Kyiv and also holding the tiebreaker against Barcelona, only a Barcelona away win against Bayern Munich would have secured passage to the Round of 16 for the Blaugrana.

Even though Bayern had nothing to play for but pride, and the match was played behind closed doors due to a spike in COVID-19 infections in Bavaria, those conditions did not make the task any easier for Barcelona.