Barcelona: A guillotine for French teams in Europe

Barcelona are firm favourites to progress in the Champions League as they welcome Lyon to the Camp Nou on Wednesday evening and their record against French sides backs that up.

The last time the Catalans fell in Europe at the hands of French opposition was in the 1984/85 season, when Metz got the better of them. Since then, every Ligue 1 side to visit the Camp Nou have been sent packing.

Terry Venables was the man in charge on that occasion 34 years ago in which iconic players such as Jose Ramon Alexanko, Migueli, Bernd Schuster and Lobo Carrasco played a part. Barcelona won the first leg in France 4-2 and Carrasco put them ahead in the return, all but ensuring their progression, but an own goal from Tente Sanchez and a historic Tony Kurbos hat-trick saw Metz go through.

Cruyff's way

No French team have come out on top at Barcelona since. The Blaugrana were eliminated in 1994/95 against Luis Fernandez's Paris Saint-Germain, but the Parisians did not win at the Camp Nou.

The rest of the ties belong to Barcelona, both in the final result of the two legs and the specific games at the Camp Nou.

PSG were the last French side to visit and the Catalans produced one of football's most monumental and historic nights.

Lyon themselves have suffered against the Azulgrana three times in Europe, while PSG and Monaco have also fallen at their feet.