Hansi Flick Has Barcelona On Cusp Of Return To European Elite

Failing a collapse at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, Hansi Flick has Barcelona on track for the Champions League semi-finals and a return to the European elite after a rocky decade in Catalonia. A semi-final placing, where Barcelona would likely be favourites to make the final, would represent the high-water mark so far for the Catalan giants in the post-Lionel Messi era. Four points clear of Real Madrid in the league with seven games remaining, and also facing Los Blancos in the Copa del Ray final, Barcelona are enjoying their best season since Messi's departure.

Since winning it all in Berlin in 2015, Barcelona have only once made it back to the semi-finals of the Champions League. That came in 2018-19, although the match-up is one the Catalans would rather forget.

In that tie, Barcelona became a footnote in the story of an incredible comeback from title-bound Liverpool, letting a 3-0 first-leg win slip in a 4-0 defeat at Anfield.

The following season, Barcelona were thumped 8-2 by a Flick-coached Bayern Munich in the quarter finals.

Barcelona did not make it back to the quarter finals until 2023-24, when their 3-2 first-leg away win over Paris Saint-Germain lead was overturned in a 4-1 thumping at home.

Off the field, Barcelona have endured a seemingly endless run of financial scandals, alongside losing Messi, their best ever player, on a free transfer in 2021.

'We want to continue'

This season however, with Messi's heir apparent Lamine Yamal firing alongside Raphina and veteran Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona look back to their best, particularly against top opposition.

Besides Wednesday's 4-0 win over Dortmund, last season's Champions League finalists, Barcelona's 4-1 win over Bayern in the group stages showed how