Barcelona is preparing to face Copenhagen this evening in the final round of the Champions League group stage, in a decisive match to secure a direct ticket to the Round of 16.

According to a report by the Spanish newspaper 'Mundo Deportivo', the Catalan team is in ninth place with 13 points, tied with seven other teams, but it has a general goal difference of +5 over some competitors, which is the primary factor in case of a points tie.

To ensure direct qualification, Barcelona needs to achieve a wide victory over Copenhagen to boost the goal difference, and the calculations show that the outcomes of other teams' matches affect Barcelona's chances. For instance, Paris Saint-Germain will meet Newcastle, giving Barcelona a greater chance to avoid the playoff for the Round of 16 if they win.

Sub-criteria play an important role, as Barcelona has scored a total of 18 goals, including 9 away goals, giving them an advantage over Newcastle, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and Atalanta in case of a points tie. These factors make a large victory over Copenhagen the key to direct qualification and avoiding the playoff.

Predictions indicate that a big win will place Barcelona in an advanced position among the top 8 teams, allowing them to avoid tough matches against Arsenal and Bayern Munich until a potential semi-final, with the possibility of facing Real Madrid only in the quarter-finals, depending on the final round standings.

All numerical indicators suggest that Barcelona's main task tonight is to win by a clear goal difference over Copenhagen, which is the most important condition to secure a direct ticket to the Round of 16 before the playoff stage begins on February 27.