"I'm very confident we will pass" - Joan Laporta sends defiant message ahead of Barcelona's crunch UCL clash against Bayern Munich

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has expressed his confidence that the club will secure a positive result against Bayern Munich. The Catalan giants need a win to help them book a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Laporta was extremely confident that Barcelona would find a way past Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The club president had faith that the players would show pride and desire to secure qualification.

Speaking during an executive lunch function prior to the game, Joan Laporta said:

"I am very confident that we will pass. Barca is a club that has a tradition, a trajectory and we want to pass. It is one of those games where you have to show pride and you must show what you are. The players are going to get pride. I am very confident that we will pass."

Laporta has suggested that there is no room for excuses. The Barcelona president believes the players will walk out without any sort of fear of the occasion and take pride and dignity.

He added:

"Although the weather is not the most appropriate, that is not going to be an excuse for Barça not to take pride and dignity. There is no fear. We risk everything and that gives respect, but not fear. We are looking forward to the game."

Finally, Joan Laporta said he wanted the team to make Barcelona fans happy and proud of their side on such a "splendid occasion."

"I ask the fans to be proud of being Barça, we have a splendid stage ahead of us. They know that this requires for a while but at no time did we stop facing all the situations that arise with the will to make Barcelona fans happy."

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Barcelona need a positive result against Bayern Munich

Barcelona face a tall order to go to the Allianz Arena and secure a positive result against the mighty Bayern Munich.

The Catalan giants are currently second in the standings. However, SL Benfica take on a struggling Dynamo Kyiv side in Portugal which they are expected to win.

If Benfica secure a win and Barcelona fail to beat Bayern Munich, the Blaugrana could see themselves drop down to the Europa League.

Benfica can qualify for the knockout stages if they beat Dynamo Kyiv. No other result will see them overtake Barcelona in the standings.

It is worth noting that Bayern Munich defeated Barcelona 3-0 at the Nou Camp earlier this season. The Camp Nou outfit come into the game having suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Real Betis in La Liga.