Barça’s Battle Against Recent History.

After another historic treble season, Barça face the daunting task of trying to win it all again. Recent history though does not favor the Blaugrana and makes this season very challenging.

Another season is upon us and what Barça accomplished last season was phenomenal. However, what took place last season is now one for the history books. The days of reminiscing are over and Barça now need to focus on how history will remember this current team. It is never easy defending a title the ensuing season. Teams are gunning for the champions and that bullseye on the back can become a heavy burden. Barça went from being the hunters to being the hunted in a matter of months. Sometimes, it’s not good to be the king.

Barça winning the treble for the second time is historic in so many ways. They are the only European club to ever capture the treble twice, which is quite an achievement since only six other clubs in Europe have ever won the treble. Obviously, expecting Barça to win back to back trebles is asking a lot from the Blaugrana players.

Asking Barça to capture back to back Champions League titles alone is a challenging task itself. No club since the 1989-1990 Milan side has repeated as Champions League winners and that was back when it was known as the European Cup. Back then, only league winners could participate. Now, we have 5 Spanish clubs playing in this upcoming Champions League competition. Since the European Cup became the Champions League before the 1992-1993 season, not one single team has repeated as champions. Can Barça do it?

Furthermore, history is not on the side of Barça when it comes to Champions League success in seasons that precede an international summer competition. Sure, Barça won their first two Champions League titles in 1992 and 2006, which took place before Euro 92 and World Cup 2006. The schedule was not congested back in 1992 since there were less countries in Europe trying to qualify for Euro 92, and the tournament only had 8 teams competing in it. This allowed Barça to play once a week most of the time which gave the players adequate rest between matches. When Barça won the league with a 12 point advantage during the 2005-2006 season, the schedule was congested. Yet, they benefitted from enjoying a large enough gap in the standings which allowed them to rotate players down the stretch to keep them fresh. Moreover, Barça were eliminated from the Copa del Rey on both occasions back in January which also meant less matches for them during the second half of the season.

Since then however, Barça have won the Champions League only during a season that did not have an international summer competition preceding it. The 2008-2009, 2010-2011, 2014-2015 seasons did not have a World Cup or Euro Cup afterwards. Thus, those types of seasons are not forced to have two matches a week like this season. That extra rest between matches, like last season, helped keep the team fresh down the stretch. However, Euro 2016 takes place this summer and Barça’s schedule will be congested once European and Copa del Rey matches commence.

Another task that awaits Barça is winning the league crown again. During this century, only six times have clubs gone on to win the league title after winning the Champions League title the previous season. Real Madrid in 2000 and 2003, Milan in 2004, Manchester United in 2009, Barça in 2010, and Bayern in 2014 have managed to pull off that feat. Barça managed to do it in 1993 but fell short in 2007 and 2011. Madrid also fell short in 1999 and last season. So Barça will have their work cut out for them if they want to repeat as league champions. An early elimination from Copa del Rey, though disappointing, would lend a helping hand in their conquest for league or European success.

As for repeating as Copa del Rey winners? It is possible. After all, Barça have reached the Copa del Rey Final four out of the last five editions. The last side to repeat as Copa del Rey winners were Barça during the Bobby Robson Luis van Gaal seasons in the late 90’s. Before them, Atlético Madrid did it in the early 90s. Again, Barça have played in consecutive Copa del Rey Finals twice in the past 5 years so it is possible.

Success though can impose a heavy hardship on a champion. The additional matches that come with winning titles can take a toll on a team. Playing the UEFA Super Cup and Supercopa before or during the start of a season can be taxing following international summer tours to reach out to foreign markets and fan bases. It is also grueling for teams to have to travel overseas for the FIFA Club World Cup in December. Unfortunately for Barça, this year’s cup takes place in Japan and not the closer venue of Morocco, so the players will have to endure more fatigue and jet lag too in their pursuit of success.

The key for Barça this season is to remain healthy and fresh while taking the one match at a time approach. Fatigue and injuries, as was the case this past weekend when Dani Alves and Busquets went down with injuries, are part of the game and that’s where squad depth will either help or hinder the team. It is a long but congested season where Barça fans will be fortunate to watch their team play twice a week often. However, it will also be grueling for the players as they battle history while attempting to make history.

Bullseye on Barça’s Back Returns.

Barça are about to kick off a new season as Champions of Europe. Their return to the top guarantees that every club will be gunning for them. Can they maintain being the hunters or will they become the hunted?

As the old saying goes, “it’s good to be the king.” Barça are the kings again and today, they kick off the new season by facing Sevilla for the UEFA Super Cup. Last time these two clubs in this Final marked the beginning of the end for Rijkaard’s Barça era. Luis Enrique will now get to experience what Cruyff, Rijkaard, and Guardiola had to face after winning the Champions League as Barça managers.

The pressure is already on to win the remaining three cups for the sextuple; UEFA Super Cup, Super Copa, and the FIFA Club World Cup. However, the bigger challenge is trying to repeat as Champions League winners. The more demanding challenge would be trying to win back to back trebles. The club has the players to pull this feat but will it happen is another question.

Since Euro 2016 will take place this summer, the domestic fixtures will see the club play twice a week quite often unlike last season where sometimes Barça enjoyed 6 or 7 days of rest between matches. This season will take a toll on the players so rotation will be a must to keep players healthy for all three competitions again. Abidal’s battles with cancer and Neymar’s recent mumps situation should also serve a caution that anything is possible when it comes to player’s health. Coaching staff and players have to watch out for themselves on and off the pitch.

When you’re on the top, everyone wants to take you down. Barça will have many clubs gunning for them and the coaching staff and players will have to try their best to thwart their efforts. Today will be the first step in a long journey of playing football with the bullseye on their backs. They have surprised us before so they deserve our faith and hopefully they reward our faith with more titles by taking it one game at a time. 

Merci Henry!

Former Barça player, Thierry Henry, is calling it a career after 20 years as a professional footballer. His three seasons with the club saw him score 49 goals and win 7 titles. Merci Henry for those three memorable seasons!

The 37 year old Henry announced on his Facebook page today his retirement from professional football.  

After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football. It has been an incredible journey and I would like to thank all the fans, team mates and individuals involved with AS Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona, the New York Red Bulls and of course the French National Team that have made my time in the game so special. 

It is now time for a different career path and I am pleased to say that I will be returning to London and joining Sky Sports. I will hopefully share some of the insights, observations and experiences I have learnt over the years with you guys. 

I have had some amazing memories (mostly good!) and a wonderful experience.

I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed taking part.

See you on the other side...

Henry’s career spanned 20 years where he played for Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, FC Barcelona, and NY Red Bulls. He came over from Arsenal to Barça in Frank Rijkaard’s last season as Barça manager. The following season, under Pep Guardiola, Barça won the treble where Henry was part of the attacking trio consisting of Messi, Henry and Eto’o. 2009 Henry also was part of the same team that won all 6 cups in one calendar year. Overall, Henry lifted the UEFA Champions League, two Spanish League titles, the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA World Club Cup.

Henry featured in 121 matches and scores 49 times with his most memorable performance against Real Madrid in the 2-6 victory where he scored a brace during the treble season. In my opinion, he is a Barça legend and will forever be remembered for contributing to the team treble and six cups Barça team. Merci Henry!

Fond Memories of Henry’s Time at Barça.

Titi Henry bids farewell to the world of football. As a former Barça player, his time with the club will be fondly remembered as one of those class players who helped shape the club into becoming one of the greatest of sides of all time.

When FC Barcelona signed Thierry Henry, his unveiling at the Camp Nou attracted the masses. After a bumpy first season, which would be Frank Rijkaard’s final season as Barça manager, Henry would help Barça become a force under Pep Guardiola. During Guardiola’s first season, the treble winning 2008-2009 side, Henry was one of the key players as he notched 26 goals in 42 games. The most memorable performance was the brace he scored in the Spanish capital against Real Madrid in that legendary 2-6 win that sealed the league title.

The following season, Henry slowed down, perhaps the toll of so many matches with Barça. His final season with the club saw Eto’o exit the team and Ibrahimovic come instead. The emergence of Bojan and Pedro while Henry struggled to regain his scoring touch, 4 goals in 32 games, along with interest from MLS, resulted in Henry leaving the club at the end of the 2009-2010 season. Nevertheless, he was part of the Barça side that won the treble and the sextuple in one calendar year and be considered one of the greatest sides of all time. Barça won the Copa del Rey, the Spanish league title, UEFA Champions League, Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Henry was a unique player who displayed grace with the ball and displayed a superb scoring touch. He left an Arsenal side where he was considered “The Man” and left his ego in check to be one of the guys.  His chemistry with Messi and Eto’o and the rest of the players saw the front three score 72 goals in the 2008-2009 Spanish league. Not all players get to ride off into the sunset, but he left the club with another league title and the admiration of the Blaugrana faithful.  Henry’s playing days are over but his performances for Barça will never be forgotten. Merci Henry.

@IBES16