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Barcelona Fans Not Among Top Four Since 2019, With Two Group Stage Eliminations in Between
On Tuesday, FC Barcelona achieved a long-awaited entry into the Champions League semifinals, a stage they hadn’t reached since 2019 following a painful exit at Anfield. This journey was marked by several setbacks, including two group stage eliminations.
Barcelona is still far from reclaiming the European prestige it enjoyed during the eras of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique Martínez. However, their victory over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, the reigning runners-up, has propelled the Blaugrana into a highly celebrated semifinal in Barcelona.
With a playing style that showcases emerging quality, team cohesion, and the enthusiasm of their fans, Barcelona seems to be on the right track. While they are still in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid and leading LaLiga EA Sports, their dreams are firmly set on the Champions League.
Since their last Champions League triumph in 2015 in Berlin, Barcelona has been unable to secure another title, despite victories in 2009 and 2011. The belief that they were contenders for the trophy every year, regardless of past successes, faded in 2016 with a premature exit in the quarter-finals against Atlético Madrid.
The 2018/19 season saw Barcelona reach the semi-finals under Ernesto Valverde, defeating Liverpool 3-0 at Camp Nou. However, this success was marred by a previous year’s elimination by AS Roma after squandering a 4-1 lead from the first leg in Barcelona.
Their failure to learn from mistakes was evident when they were humiliated by Liverpool at Anfield (4-0) due in part to Ousmane Dembélé’s costly error in the first leg. This marked the decline of Barcelona’s golden era led by players like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and others.
Following this setback, Barcelona endured years of shadows overshadowing their success, culminating in a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich during the COVID-19 pandemic under the management of Hansi Flick.
Their struggles continued in the 2020/21 season with a 1-4 defeat to PSG in the Champions League, highlighting their inability to progress beyond the round of 16. This disappointment was compounded by two consecutive group stage eliminations in the following editions.
Under Xavi Hernández’s leadership last season, Barcelona overcame their psychological barrier and advanced from the group stage as leaders ahead of Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Royal Antwerp. They then defeated Napoli in the round of 16 with a draw away (1-1) and a convincing home win (3-1).
However, their hopes were dashed in the quarter-finals against PSG, managed by former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique Martínez. Despite a promising 2-3 victory in the first leg, Barcelona suffered a cruel exit in the return leg, with Ronald Araujo’s red card facilitating PSG’s comeback.
With Flick at the helm, Barcelona now set sail towards the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena in Munich, where they must first navigate past either Inter or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, their first appearance in six years. Regardless of the opponent, it will be a tough challenge for the revamped Blaugrana club.
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Barcelona Fans Not Among Top Four Since 2019, With Two Group Stage Eliminations in Between
On Tuesday, FC Barcelona achieved a long-awaited entry into the Champions League semifinals, a stage they hadn’t reached since 2019 following a painful exit at Anfield. This journey was marked by several setbacks, including two group stage eliminations.
Barcelona is still far from reclaiming the European prestige it enjoyed during the eras of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique Martínez. However, their victory over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, the reigning runners-up, has propelled the Blaugrana into a highly celebrated semifinal in Barcelona.
With a playing style that showcases emerging quality, team cohesion, and the enthusiasm of their fans, Barcelona seems to be on the right track. While they are still in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid and leading LaLiga EA Sports, their dreams are firmly set on the Champions League.
Since their last Champions League triumph in 2015 in Berlin, Barcelona has been unable to secure another title, despite victories in 2009 and 2011. The belief that they were contenders for the trophy every year, regardless of past successes, faded in 2016 with a premature exit in the quarter-finals against Atlético Madrid.
The 2018/19 season saw Barcelona reach the semi-finals under Ernesto Valverde, defeating Liverpool 3-0 at Camp Nou. However, this success was marred by a previous year’s elimination by AS Roma after squandering a 4-1 lead from the first leg in Barcelona.
Their failure to learn from mistakes was evident when they were humiliated by Liverpool at Anfield (4-0) due in part to Ousmane Dembélé’s costly error in the first leg. This marked the decline of Barcelona’s golden era led by players like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and others.
Following this setback, Barcelona endured years of shadows overshadowing their success, culminating in a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich during the COVID-19 pandemic under the management of Hansi Flick.
Their struggles continued in the 2020/21 season with a 1-4 defeat to PSG in the Champions League, highlighting their inability to progress beyond the round of 16. This disappointment was compounded by two consecutive group stage eliminations in the following editions.
Under Xavi Hernández’s leadership last season, Barcelona overcame their psychological barrier and advanced from the group stage as leaders ahead of Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Royal Antwerp. They then defeated Napoli in the round of 16 with a draw away (1-1) and a convincing home win (3-1).
However, their hopes were dashed in the quarter-finals against PSG, managed by former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique Martínez. Despite a promising 2-3 victory in the first leg, Barcelona suffered a cruel exit in the return leg, with Ronald Araujo’s red card facilitating PSG’s comeback.
With Flick at the helm, Barcelona now set sail towards the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena in Munich, where they must first navigate past either Inter or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, their first appearance in six years. Regardless of the opponent, it will be a tough challenge for the revamped Blaugrana club.
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FUENTE
