It’s been long coming but Champions League group exit a down to earth for ‘The Prodigal Club’ Barcelona

The Catalan giants, after finishing third in the league last season, their lowest since the 2007-08 season, they fell into port two at the draw for the Champions league group stages earlier in the season and unfortunately for them, they were drawn against another heavyweight in Barcelona.

Moreso to their dissatisfaction, Benfica, who are one of the three Portuguese teams in the competition fell to port three, and were also drawn in the same group as the five times winner, with Dynamo Kiev joining to complete the set.

The group campaign was just like their horrendous record in the knockout rounds of the competition over the past five or six years. They always capsize when up against the big names, and that was again, evidence in their home and away defeats to Bayern Munich.

Even with a number of first teamer missing for the Bavarians in the second leg against Barcelona, Xavi’s side never once look a threat to their host, who comfortably win by three goals to nothing, without breaking a sweat.

Benfica became one of the beneficiaries of their poor form this time. The Portuguese club, even though dropped points in Dynamo, made up for that by thrashing Barcelona 3-0 in Portugal, before securing a draw at Camp Nou, leaving them with just getting a win to seal progression, knowing Barcelona stands no chance in Munich.

It could not be any weird for a team that has produced just two wins away from home in all competitions this season. Toothless displays one game after another. The identity of their play is lost and so is the good results they used to enjoy.

Over the last few years since the departure of Luis Enrique in 2015, Barcelona, instead of building a team to secure their future have focused instead on getting world class players, a move which has not yield any positive until now.

The club, was not known to be a side that favours marque signing in the tenure that brought the unprecedented success enjoyed in their history. They were lucky enough to have players come through the ranks then, a rarity which is very difficult for any club to maintain.

However, these players as known will not play forever, the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andreas Iniesta, Carles Puyol and others have left the club and subsequently retired, while those who are still playing have passed their primes, but it all happened of a sudden, as though the club never planned a life after them.

They have spend big on the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Arthur Melo, Andre Gomes, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele, but none of these players have been able to live up to the expectations of the club. Some have even left the club after failure to leave a mark, while those still there are not good enough for a starting spot in a group of young and average players.

Whilst Barcelona enjoyed the presence of the likes of Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique at the heart of their defence, no younger player was being introduced to keep the culture should the older players move on, whereas the club knew that the age difference among those regular players is close.

Jeremy Mathiew and Thomas Vermaelen were the only two who deputise in defense then, both who not really up to the Barcelona quality and have almost the same age as those of the regular players. Moreso, they are not an integral part of the team.

Belgian defender, Vermaelen made a total of 34 league appearances for Barcelona between 2014 and 2019, while Mathieu, over 60 league appearances between 2014 and 2017 and they never get going for the team. Most of their appearances came as substitutes except for Mathiew, who was not also convincing.

Marc Batra was the only defender to get some time having graduated from the club’s Academy but his time with the first team was short-lived. Couple of loan moves before eventually joining Real Betis is a permanent move and that was that for the Barcelona defence in the era of their dominance.

The inability of the club to introduce and integrate younger players then, forced them into making signings that can now be branded needless for them. Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet looked established before Barcelona sanctioned their signings but them appear to be getting worse now that they play for the club.

In the midfield, the likes of Sergi Samper, Carles Alena, Denis Suarez and Rafinha also left the club after enduring little to no playing time. During the time, Barcelona had brought in Paulinho, who was much player than these players, who could have been the future that has arrived now for the club.

Yes, Barcelona have been lucky enough to have the likes of Pedri, Gavi and others come through the rank, but these players are so young, so much that the age difference between themselves and the likes of Sergio Busquests, who is the only senior figure in the midfield is worth miles, apart from Frenkie de Jong, who came in from Ajax.

The Dutchman has been one of the few success Barcelona have had in the transfer market. Poor scouting has really costed the club a lot, and the fortunes spent on transfers has no justification on the team sheet.

Under the presidency of Josef Bartomeu, the club spent almost £1bilion on transfers of over 30 players between 2015 and 2020 and almost all of them have been flops. Clement Lenglet and Frenkie de Jong are the only one who still play for the club regularly.

As at the start of last summer, only Manchester City had spend more on transfers than Barcelona since the start of 2011-12 season. Yet, there is nothing to show for the over €1.47billion spent. Add these to the huge wage bill, then you wonder less why the club is in deep financial crisis.

The problem in attack started when Neymar departed. Of course the club tried to make a direct replacement and invested a fortune on Ousmane Dembele, but the French winger has spent more time on the sideline that he has actually played games. Sometimes many forgets he is still the club’s player.

Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann followed but these marque signings never made a mark at the club. Coutinho, still at the club is nothing more than a passenger. The youth players have risen above him in the pecking order at the club while Griezmann has escaped a disastrous spell with a return to Atletico Madrid last summer.

While Barcelona had dominated the league for over a decade and doing so well in the Champions League. Since 2015, they have won two of the last five league titles, which is another testament of how they have degraded, allowing both Madrid clubs enjoy success locally.

In the Champions League, the recent loss to Bayern Munich was the tenth time they have lost by three goals or more in the competition since February 2017. And as always, many would like to put the blame to the manager but then these ten humbling have come under five different managers.

Now, Xavi has arrived and for himself, seen what a mess the club is in, it is no brainer that Barcelona have no quick fix to their crisis. This is the club now, in the standard it is worth being (the Europa League). Unfortunately, the competition also has some big names who will be no pushovers for even Barcelona.

Sure wins against the likes of Napoli, Sevilla, Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund and others in this competition is vote of no confidence. The Europa League will not be an avenue for Barcelona to hide their shame but a place to be wary of disastrous events.

While they are seventh in the league ahead of week 17 kickoff this weekend, there is a lot of grounds to cover to secure Champions League qualification for next season. But if that did not be, definitely it will be time off while they continue to work on the process, rather a big disappointment as many of the stakeholders would think.

Winnings runs, unbeaten runs, breaking and making records, winning silverware, that was Barcelona. Avoiding the heavyweights to prevent severe humbling, this is Barcelona. It is what it is, and what it is, is obvious for all to see.

Author: Afolabi Kehinde Hassan