Breaking Down Barcelona's Champions League Chances Halfway Through Group Stage

So far, so good. So very good. Barcelona could qualify for the Champions League last 16 after the next round of games.

After a draw away at Roma, Barcelona won their next two games, leaving them in a commanding position in Group E.

Their win over BATE Borisov on Tuesday night took them up to seven points, three ahead of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who have four.

Provided Roma do not win against Bayer Leverkusen at home and Barca beat BATE at Camp Nou, Luis Enrique's side will be guaranteed qualification with two games to spare.

That will allow him to rest some players in the remaining fixtures, something that will come as relief for the coach after the injury troubles his team has had this season.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

However, these problems with absences and the inability to register new players until January, thanks to their FIFA-imposed transfer embargo, may hold the key to their destiny in the Champions League.

Often, the team that wins the competition is the team that arrives in the best shape in the final stretch of the season.

Lucho knows this. In fact, the way he was able to manage his squad was a key part of Barcelona's triumph last term.

The coach rotated incessantly in the first half of the season, and while that might have led to a few dropped points and a bit of upset and anger among those who were left out, it eventually paid dividends.

Along with not having a lengthy, intercontinental pre-season tour, Barcelona were fit, fresh and firing when it mattered most.

Unfortunately, that will not be the case at the end of this season.

Some players in the squad are already beginning to look tired, notably in the midfield.

Sergei Grits/Associated Press

Thanks mainly to the severe ACL injury Rafinha suffered in September and Xavi Hernandez's departure in the summer, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Javier Mascherano have needed to play in most of the games.

Andres Iniesta too, though he is injured himself at the moment, aiming to return when Barcelona take on Eibar on Sunday.

Lucho has tried to rest Busquets when he can, frequently bringing him off for Gerard Gumbau when matches seem like they have been won.

These is no such respite for Mascherano, who is often required to play in defence alongside Gerard Pique thanks to Thomas Vermaelen's latest injury setback.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

As highlighted by Sport, there have been an incredible 14 injury problems for Barcelona this season.

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There have been 14 injuries this season, 10 of which are muscle problems, and not even a third of the campaign has passed. The ones which were impact or illness have been Busquets' bruised ankle against Athletic, ruptured ligaments for Messi and Rafinha, and mumps for Neymar.

The others, all muscular. Starting with Adriano's pubis, the breaks in Bravo and Vermaelen's soleus', the hamstring of Douglas and Iniesta, Alba's neck and thigh problems, Dani Alves' adductor trouble and the double injury to Sergi Roberto, first with a sore hamstring and now the pubis.

A string of problems that show that the team is not as prepared as last season. The tour is taking its toll and team is not as physically strong as before.

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Barcelona can finally register summer signings Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan in January, which will relieve some stress.

Although both Munir El Haddadi and Sandro Ramirez have their benefits, neither is of the calibre you would want to replace Lionel Messi, Neymar or Luis Suarez in the latter stages of the Champions League.

It sounds like the club is looking to sign a player in January, per Sport, but it would have to be someone not currently playing in Europe's premier competition if he is to be registered in Barcelona's squad for the competition.

All this will make it extremely hard for the club to retain the Champions League.

Emilio Morenatti/Associated Press

It's something nobody has achieved since the rebranding of the competition in 1993 and would be hard enough already without all the injuries and stress on the squad.

Of course, with players as magical as those Barcelona have, nothing is impossible. When the trident up front is in top shape, the team is unstoppable.

The trick is reaching the semi-finals in that position, which is going to be incredibly tough for a manager who will be fighting on three fronts once more.