Barcelona's European woes continue with loss at Old Trafford – but defeat feels different this time
Thursday night's Europa League exit was another blow for the Catalan club, but Xavi's side were competitive against Manchester United and should be better off next season
The decline has been dramatic. In the space of eight years, Barcelona have gone from Champions League winners to European outcasts. Thursday night’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford was the latest disappointment in a catalogue of setbacks for the Catalan club in European competition. Yet there are signs that things will be better soon.
In 2015, Barça beat Juventus 3-1 in Berlin to claim the Champions League and with it, the treble. En route to the continental crown, Luis Enrique’s side had beaten the champions of England (Manchester City), France (Paris Saint-Germain), Germany (Bayern Munich) and Italy (Juve). They were, without doubt, the best team in Europe.
Since then, Barcelona have won three LaLiga titles and four Copas del Rey, but not much has gone their way in Europe. In fact, a series of humiliating defeats has left fans frustrated and all the while, the success of their fierce rivals Real Madrid has added salt to the wounds. (Barça’s 2015 win was their fifth European Cup. At the time, Real Madrid had 10. Now, Los Blancos are up to 14).
The 2015 final was Xavi’s final game for Barcelona and although he was not a starter for Barça by that time, his presence remained key: when he came off the bench, FCB could revert to type and control the midfield as they had in previous seasons. But as soon as Xavi left, that control was lost.
Xavi departed in 2015, Dani Alves in 2016, Neymar in 2017 and Andrés Iniesta in 2018. None were adequately replaced. Meanwhile, Ivan Rakitić rarely hit the heights of his debut season, Luis Suárez became far less effective – and even a burden – with age and Lionel Messi was forced to assume more and more of the team’s attacking roles over time. In 2018-19, the Argentine came close to leading Barça all the way to the final, but even he could not do it all alone.
Under president Josep Maria Bartomeu, Barça lost direction: huge debts were amassed as the club spent beyond its means on sub-standard signings and enormous wages. As the pandemic hit, the Blaugrana were in big trouble. In October 2020, Bartomeu resigned amid pressure from fans and unrest at Camp Nou, but much of the damage had been done. And the following year, Messi left too. The club could not afford to keep him.
During these last eight years, it is the European defeats – and the nature of those losses – that seem to have upset Barça fans the most. With Ernesto Valverde as coach, the Catalan club suffered back-to-back Champions League collapses: FCB lost 3-0 at Roma in 2017-18 and 4-0 to Liverpool in 2018-19.
In reality, though, the decline had started sooner. In Luis Enrique’s last season, Barcelona lost 4-0 away to PSG. Ultimately, that result proved anecdotic as Barça produced a stunning second-leg comeback to win the tie 6-5 on aggregate. Nevertheless, the remontada had merely papered over the cracks. In their next Champions League game, FCB lost 3-0 at Juventus and there was no turnaround on this occasion.
Worse was to come in 2020. With Quique Setién now in charge, Barcelona were thrashed 8-2 by Bayern Munich in Lisbon (the Champions League was played in Portugal in single-leg ties from the quarter-finals onwards due to Covid-19 restrictions). Seemingly scarred and left fragile following their big defeats in previous years, and up against a fitter, more modern opponent, Barça were brutally beaten.
The following season saw the problems extend to Camp Nou. Barça lost 4-1 at home to PSG and despite some promising moments in the second leg, they could only draw 1-1. Messi scored a super goal but also missed a penalty at the Parc des Princes. It turned out to be his final Champions League game for Barcelona.
If anyone thought he was the problem, they should see what has happened since. For two seasons in a row, Barcelona have dropped down to the Europa League after finishing third in the Champions League group stages (with Xavi as coach both times, although Ronald Koeman was in charge for Barça’s first four fixtures in the competition last season before his sacking in November).
Last season, Barça made the quarter-finals of the Europa League and lost out to eventual champions Eintracht Frankfurt in a strange second leg as thousands of German fans outnumbered the Barça support at Camp Nou after many socios sold their tickets.
This term, the Blaugrana were not even able to make it into the latter stages of the Europa League after losing their play-off against Manchester United. Eight seasons after they won their last European Cup, Barça are not even among the last 16 teams in Europe’s second-tier competition. It is quite the fall from grace.
Despite all of that, there are reasons to believe that it will be better soon. Barça are top of LaLiga and appear to be heading for the title. Xavi’s side are improving on the domestic front and their defence has been excellent (with seven goals conceded all season in the league). The former midfielder is also still learning on the job. An upturn in results should follow in Europe.
Barça were unfortunate to meet Manchester United (one of the most in-form teams in Europe right now) in the teams’ last-32 tie. Over two legs, it was close: 2-2 at Camp Nou and 2-1 at Old Trafford. If Xavi had not inexplicably changed his defence around for the first match, Barcelona might have won. And if Gavi (suspended), Pedri and Ousmane Dembélé (both injured) had been available for the return, the outcome may also have been different. Either way, this was no humiliation or embarrassment; it was a hard-fought defeat decided by one goal across 180 minutes. And by little moments in both games.
“Last season, it was impossible to compete,” Xavi said. “This season is different. We competed well, but the small details make the difference. We have to learn from our mistakes. We’ll try again next year.”
Xavi too will have to learn from his own mistakes. This Barcelona team remains a work in progress and improvements are required in a number of areas. FCB still need a squad with greater strength in depth, more fluidity in midfield and attack (although the absences did not help here), better game management and more mental strength in these tough European games – especially away from Camp Nou.
“I don’t think it’s a failure because we competed,” defender Jules Koundé said. “We played against a really in-form opponent. It was a disappointment. But we are a young team and we will contrinue to grow.”
They should. This defeat may be Barça’s earliest European exit in many years (and in the continent’s second-tier competition as well), but the feeling is much more positive this time around. Next season, FCB should be better equipped to achieve improved results in the Champions League. Perhaps even to be a contender for the trophy again.
The truth is Barcelona can’t compete against high intensity teams in Europe with the like of Busquests, Alba and Roberto. I don’t know the reasons why Xavi is insisting on their contracts renewal
Thanks Ben always insightful... Xavi is doing great and the rebuild will continue and like you said the defeat is not a disgrace. We'll come back stronger next season after wining la liga