"Dreaming is free, so why can't we win?" - Xavi says Barcelona can become Champions League kings again

Xavi believes Barcelona can end an eight-year wait for Champions League glory this season as he told his players to 'dream' of lifting the trophy.

The head coach sends his side into their opener against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday, desperate to avoid a repeat of last campaign's group stage elimination.

Barcelona finished behind Bayern Munich and Benfica, with Xavi appointed midway through this group campaign after Ronald Koeman was sacked.

The severe damage had been caused by a 3-0 defeat at Benfica, and Xavi was unable to coach Barcelona until the round of 16.

However, he has had two busy transfer windows since then and Barcelona are a renewed and refreshed squad, with much of their old baggage shaken off.

Last season's failure in Europe inevitably hurt more when Barcelona's arch-rivals Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the final, but Xavi wants to move on.

"The main objective now is to pass the group stage," Xavi said, "so we'll see.

“Dreaming is free, so why can't we win this contest? But we have to start by taking the three points tomorrow.”

Xavi was a substitute in the 2014-15 Champions League final when Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 in Berlin, thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

Now managing things from the touchline, he is hesitant to predict how Barcelona will fare, but says there is no harm in having ambitious goals.

"We are going to compete and dream of winning the Champions League, otherwise I wouldn't be here," Xavi said. "I want to win. We have to be very humble. Since 2015 we haven't won the Champions League and last year we went to the Europa League.

"You have to think that every game is going to be a war. We had a very tough group."

With Bayern and Inter alongside Barcelona and Plzen in Group C, Xavi's remark certainly stands up to scrutiny. Although it doesn't turn out that way, Plzen will be seen as the team the big three need to beat, before grabbing the top spots.

Xavi has praised Plzen's counter-attacking qualities, but anything other than three at Camp Nou would be largely anti-climactic.

"It's the Champions League and we want to start well. It's the most difficult group in recent years, but we want to pass and reach the last 16," said Xavi.

The Barcelona boss will look to Robert Lewandowski to propel the Catalans through to the knockout stages, following his previous success for Bayern in the competition.

Lewandowski has scored more goals than any other player in the Champions League over the past three seasons, with 33 goals in 26 games.

Should he score against Plzen, it would make him the third player to score for both Barcelona and Bayern in the competition, after Mark van Bommel and Philippe Coutinho.

Lewandowski scored nine goals in five home games for Bayern in the Champions League last season, which could bode well for Wednesday.

Xavi will be without Miralem Pjanic, with the midfielder bound for Sharjah FC, and is expected to make changes from the side that beat Sevilla 3-0 in La Liga on Saturday.

“There will be a rotation,” Xavi said, confirming that Jordi Alba and Ansu Fati could step down from their roles as weekend substitutes. "There is fatigue and discomfort. The game against Sevilla was a war.

“Let’s play the Champions League and dream of winning it. In our history, we have won it five times. We will try to compete to go as far as possible. »