Barcelona's 25-Man Squad for Champions League: Key Insights

Barcelona have locked in their 25-man squad for the Champions League league phase, and the list carries a couple of quiet but telling statements about the club’s direction.

All 25 names are players with first-team contracts, as required by UEFA for List A. Among them are two emerging bets for the future: Egyptian defender Hamza Abdelkarim and Belgian youngster Jesse Bisiu, both promoted into the European group despite still being registered as reserve-team players in La Liga.

Their inclusion comes with a twist. Abdelkarim keeps the number 29 shirt and Bisiu stays with 27, the same numbers they wear domestically, but to get them into the Champions League Barcelona had to classify them as first-team players. Neither qualifies for List B, which is reserved for homegrown talent meeting strict criteria: at least two consecutive years in the club’s academy, or three consecutive years including a loan of no more than one season to another club under the same federation.

That rule shuts the door on them as “youth” options in Europe. So Barcelona pushed them straight into List A, a clear sign of trust in their ability to contribute if called upon.

One name is missing, and it hurts. Swedish forward Roony Bardghji has been left out entirely. A serious knee injury will keep him sidelined for the whole season, ending any hope of a Champions League campaign before it began. His year had already looked complicated after struggling for minutes last season, blocked in his preferred role by the rise of Lamine Yamal. Now the injury wipes away even the chance to fight back.

While Abdelkarim and Bisiu step up, another youngster takes a different route into Europe. Midfielder Brian Fariñas has been named on Barcelona’s academy list, the club’s pool for List B. That list remains flexible and can be updated up to 24 hours before each match, giving the coaching staff room to react to form, injuries, or tactical needs.

Fariñas will wear number 28 in the Champions League, even though he already runs out with number 4 for the first team in La Liga. The discrepancy underlines how sharply UEFA’s registration rules cut between Lists A and B: in Europe, status is not just about minutes played, but about development pathways and years spent inside the club.

So Barcelona head into the Champions League with a squad that blends established stars, promoted reserves, and academy depth working under different labels. On paper it’s just Lists A and B. On the pitch, it will show who is truly ready to turn those numbers on a team sheet into a place in the club’s future.