In a high-stakes showdown that carries the weight of their recent Champions League disappointments, Barcelona are gearing up to face Porto on Wednesday.

This clash marks a crucial moment for Xavi Hernandez's squad, a team renowned for their storied history in the competition but recently plagued by early exits.

Therefore, La Blaugrana need to prove their mettle in a group stage fixture that promises to be anything but straightforward.

For a club steeped in tradition and sporting glory, the past few years have been uncharacteristically humbling.

The successive Champions League heartbreaks have left a bitter taste in the mouths of Culers.

However, under Xavi, a football legend in his own right, the club has embarked on a journey of redemption.

Last summer, President Joan Laporta orchestrated a bold financial maneuver, selling club assets and a slice of future television rights to bankroll a transformative spending spree.

The intent was clear: Barcelona were determined to reclaim their place among Europe's elite.

However, as fate would have it, the grand plans faltered, and they stumbled in the group stage.

Fast forward to this summer, and the narrative has taken a more pragmatic turn.

The club, facing financial constraints, exercised caution in the transfer market.

Still, they managed to secure the services of Portuguese duo of Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix on loan, alongside the experienced Ilkay Gündoğan from Manchester City.

With this revamped roster, Barcelona seem poised for a renaissance.

On paper, Xavi now possesses a formidable group of players capable of taking on the continent's finest.

Yet, the sage coach understands the pitfalls of overconfidence.

Barcelona's immediate focus is simply on navigating the group stage successfully – a feat they have faltered at for three long years.

The draw this season has been more forgiving.

The team's emphatic 5-0 victory over Royal Antwerp in the opening fixture was a promising start, but Xavi remains cautious.

He has seen his side deliver similar results in the past, only to falter when it mattered most.

"It is too soon to say we can win it," Xavi conveys, his seasoned wisdom evident. "We have to be cautious, continue on this path. Next up, we have the most challenging match of the group, in Porto. We have the capacity, the confidence, but it is also our toughest test."

Their upcoming clash at the Estadio Do Dragao against Porto, a side that has advanced past the group stage in the past two seasons, presents an important litmus test.

The battle-hardened veteran, Pepe, once a nemesis during his Clasico duels at Real Madrid, might just tip the scales in Porto's favor if he returns from injury in time.

This milestone game in the north of Portugal marks Xavi's 100th match as Barcelona's coach, a journey fraught with domestic success but European frustration.

Despite dropping into the Europa League in recent seasons, Barcelona could not find solace, suffering defeats to Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester United.

Xavi reflected on his evolution as a coach, finding serenity in experience. "I approach matches with more calm," he confides to Sport.

The Catalans will be without key figures like Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha due to injuries.

However, 20-year-old sensation Fermin Lopez has swiftly emerged as a capable midfield option, highlighting the club's renewed reliance on youth academy talents.

Xavi takes pride in nurturing this young crop, acknowledging the unique circumstances Barcelona finds itself in. "Normally the responsibility falls on those who are 24, 25... these players have to do it at 18, 16. It's the circumstances of how the club is too, we have to turn to the youth academy, and it always delivers. They are doing things well there."