Lewandowski trains for Bayern clash with Barca's European hopes on the line - in pictures

Catalans could be on brink of elimination from Champions League even before their match begins on Wednesday

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski takes part in a training session with teammates on the eve of the Champions League match against Bayern Munich. EPA

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde and teammates arrive for a training session at the Joan Gamper training ground on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. AFP

Barcelona's Polish forward Robert Lewandowski arrives for training on the eve of the Champions League match against Bayern Munich. AFP

Barcelona's Spanish forward Eric Garcia at the Joan Gamper training ground on Tuesday. AFP

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele with teammates during training. AFP

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen takes part in a training session at the Joan Gamper training ground. AFP

Barcelona's Jules Kounde during training on Tuesday. AFP

Raphinha takes part in a training session at the Joan Gamper training ground. AFP

Franck Kessie and Ousmane Dembele train on Tuesday. EPA

Gerard Pique participates in a training session in Barcelona. EPA

Marc-Andre ter Stegen during training. EPA

Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski train for the match against Bayern Munich. EPA

Frenkie de Jong participates in his team's training session in Barcelona. EPA

Barcelona face a Herculean task as they look to rescue their fast-fading Champions League campaign.

The scheduling of Wednesday's matches is such that the Catalans could be on the brink of elimination even before their match against Bayern Munich kicks off if Inter Milan beat Czech minnows Viktoria Plzen at home earlier in the day.

Xavi's side have just one win from their first four matches in Group C, with a 3-3 draw at home against Inter Milan earlier in October probably sealing their fate.

For a club that spent lavishly in the summer on players including Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, the elimination would be embarrassing and catastrophic financially.

However, manager Xavi said his team will give it their all, irrespective of what happens in the Inter game.

"We'll watch [that game] on television all together in the dressing room," said Xavi. "Regardless of what happens in Milan, we have to show that we can compete.

"We are extremely motivated to show we can compete with them, we will go out with the same intensity we showed against Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao. We have to match them."

The odds, however, are stacked against Barca. The German champions have beaten Barcelona each of the last five times they have faced each other, including 8-2 in Lisbon and two 3-0 wins last season in the group phase.