Barcelona has been one of the most respected and feared football clubs in modern times with them having a formidable history in the Champions League
Thanks to the presence of formidable players at the helm as well as an indomitable sense of team cohesion, many fans expected to see FCB once again competing in the Champions League this season.
However, this has certainly not come to pass. Barcelona is instead hoping to secure the top spot in the Europa League. What factors have led to this scenario? In order to better understand where Barcelona may be headed, it is first important to appreciate how we arrived here in the first place. Let’s take a look at some critical variables to take into account.
Explained Why Is The Champions League Out Of Reach Of FC Barcelona Despite Their Illustrious History
A Barcelona Without Messi
Perhaps the most logical argument involves the fact that Lionel Messi is no longer with FCB. In the past, countless Betfair bets would be placed in favour of Barcelona simply due to the fact that Messi was on the pitch. His departure to Paris Saint-Germain left a pronounced hole in the team. It suddenly appeared as if they no longer possessed the drive and cohesion to do battle with powerful foes such as Real Madrid and Manchester United. A Barcelona bereft of Messi seemed to be inconceivable in the past and yet, here we are.
Leadership Issues
Many Barcelona fans will look back upon the days of Pep Guardiola with a sense of nostalgia. Indeed, it is thought that he was one of the few managers who were capable of providing the appropriate level of guidance to many of the top players (such as Pique, Alba and Busquets) at the time. They may have even viewed Guardiola as somewhat of a “father figure”.
However, the leadership choices made after his 2012 departure have left many to question the strategy of the team at a whole. While personalities such as Ronald Koeman certainly possess the technical experience, they do not appear to have the same “spark” as Guardiola.
An Impact of Low Fan Morale
This final factor is slightly debatable and yet, it is worthwhile to briefly mention. In the past, many avid FCB followers would take a quick glance at their Betfair app to set aside some time to watch an upcoming match. This is not the case as of late. Barcelona fans have been accused of being somewhat fickle on occasion; avidly supporting the team during a winning streak and turning a blind eye after a poor performance. This will have a notable impact upon player morale when we consider that Barcelona had previously been considered a rather tight-knit football community.
Although a Champions League title may appear to be far beyond the horizon at this point, we still need to remember that Barcelona has risen from its own ashes in the past. It is just as reasonable to assume that the team could be able to pull off yet another turnaround if they are provided with the proper guidance and motivation. The only question remaining is if this will occur sooner as opposed to later.