The demise of Football Club Barcelona

[Crimson Dynasty]

He said 4 of their 5 European cups were win during the years messi was at the club.

Nothing was said about them not being a big club. Nada. Tbf the first of that 4 had nothing to do with messi. They’ve lost the plot under bartomue leadership. Their own fans are calling for him to be arrested. The point about the planning is correct. Covid has just accelerated the impact of that bad planning. They’ll still be strong and will rebuild to a position of strength within a few years. No one is disputing that.

There's no doubting that Barca will be back to winning ways in some time in the future.

Whether that's 'near' future or some time in the 'future' future remains the question and I'm not as convinced as many on here that it will be as straightforward or easy (or quick) as all that.

I'd like to draw a parallel to something closer to home.

Everyone thought that when Ferguson left, the Mancs would soon quickly be back to winning ways and dominating the league and picking off trophies all over the place.
And sure enough after some bumps (Moyes) it seemed like that was the case.
But even after a couple of big-name managers to take the helm there (Van Gaal, Mourinho) they still seem nowhere close to that dominating team of the mid-to-late 90's and the 'aughts.

At this point, Manchester United are 'big club' mostly based on reputation and brand-name rather than actually being a dominating big club.
They're the club that used to run the roost in England and Europe, and that's really the selling point and reason people still go to play for them.

No one goes there to play for Ole.
No one's going there to play with Rashford or Lingard.
Even Pogba is wanting out at this stage

Will they be back to winning ways sometime soon? I don't doubt it. But hopefully not before we've sorted out issues out.

Barca are in much the same boat.
Before Messi, they DID have a footballing identity and reputation and reason whey people went to play there.
And even though during the Messi years, that identity became intertwined with his abilities and his legend, there was still a pure footballing reason and draw for why people wanted to go play there.

Now with Messi leaving, and with most of the custodians of that footballing style of Barca of old all gone, I guess we could say people still want to go there because of its reputation and......the great weather?
I don't really believe people are going there wanting to play for former Everton manager Ronald Koeman.
Even the fans there are no fans of his (despite being a club legend for them), and would have preferred Xavi.
You're certainly not going there to play for a big paycheck, with their current circumstances.

And if Atletico managed to cement their status as Real's primary challengers (despite themselves being the defending champions) this coming season and essentially supplant Barca from that role, then I think Barca's own climb back to relevance in a post-Messi world will be much harder and take much longer than people anticipate.

They're still an attractive destination for players.
The question is it just because of their reputation and past glories, rather than as a real chance at winning things?
(See : Manchester United)

Part of the whole irony of the Messi situation (or the messy situation) that they find themselves in, is because they were unable to move two players in Griezmann and Coutinho, to make the numbers work, and allow them to make Messi's new contract work.
Two players whose own journey to Barcelona epitomizes why other clubs hate them so much (for how they got those players to come to them), and two players for whom because they were unable to play with Messi or in a system designed for him and his abilities, are now a large part of the reason for their current predicament,.....and two players they seem stuck with for the foreseeable future while their club legend is forced to leave and they find themselves in a financial mess.

And they say karma isn't real.

[Steveo]

Two things Steveo mate, firstly far from a kiddy, I’m probably old enough to be your father and secondly I’d wager I have been to way more live games than yourself.

So yeah, really valid points, as is your apparent position of complete denial as to the current appalling state of Barcelona football club.
Enjoy your jollies.

A father at 10…? That’s stretching a point beyond breaking.

I don’t have any denial on Barca but plenty on here are talking bollox about them and clearly know nothing of their history:


The entire intonation of Sids statement is wrong for me. It implies that only due to Messi were Barcelona hooovering up titles which again is totally false. They have had periods of sustained success many times before but they never had a period with a group who were also the backbone of Spain’s only ever international world dominance - minus Messi and based around Xavi - Iniesta & Busquets - not to mention Puyol and Pique.

The fact is even with Messi in recent years and minus Xavi/Iniesta they have been below many other Barca teams in terms of trophy output - resorting to ever more desperate means to rediscover that dynamic creative magic.

It is over simplistic to label their super success period as “the Messi years”… They are the years after Rikjaard built a monster side with incredible youth development brilliantly combined with world class talent like Ronaldinho. There is so much more than simply labelling them the Messi years.

To my eye - this entire thread is nothing more than a cheap shot at one of the worlds great clubs and a football rival, mainly worded by those who are jealous ( understandable ) of Barca OR those who can’t accept our own seemingly swift derailment as the team so well on the tracks that it took 97 points and won a CL in 2019.

It’s as if by gloating over Barca’s current woes we somehow make our own slide more palatable.

We have won 2 titles - get a fecking grip. 2 titles with the best manager in the world in place for years and we are gloating or lamenting over Barca’s seeming demise.

For those who don’t know what the fuck they are talking about - this is a decent read about the embryonic stages of one of the greatest club sides ever assembled.

https://www.elartedf.com/rijkaard-barcelona-unsung-hero/

[Steveo]

Sorry Sid but you have exposed your lack of knowledge big time

[Insidious]

Sorry Sid but you have exposed your lack of knowledge big time

Whatever you say Steveo.

[Steveo]

No offence mate but you do well to do some reading on the Great Barcelona

[Insidious]

No offence mate but you do well to do some reading on the Great Barcelona

I never said they were shite though, nor attempted to imply it.

My post quite literally says "they'll still win things" which you have chosen to ignore. I don't see them "hoovering" trophies as I put it though.

They've won 92(?) trophies in their history and 34(?) of those are during the Messi years.

For me, as pointed out by another forum user, it's a bit like Man United. Still a big club. Will still win things. But not (in United's case) at the same rate as during the Fergie years and not (in Barca's case) the same as the Messi years.

[teesred]

A father at 10…? That’s stretching a point beyond breaking.

I don’t have any denial on Barca but plenty on here are talking bollox about them and clearly know nothing of their history:


The entire intonation of Sids statement is wrong for me. It implies that only due to Messi were Barcelona hooovering up titles which again is totally false. They have had periods of sustained success many times before but they never had a period with a group who were also the backbone of Spain’s only ever international world dominance - minus Messi and based around Xavi - Iniesta & Busquets - not to mention Puyol and Pique.

The fact is even with Messi in recent years and minus Xavi/Iniesta they have been below many other Barca teams in terms of trophy output - resorting to ever more desperate means to rediscover that dynamic creative magic.

It is over simplistic to label their super success period as “the Messi years”… They are the years after Rikjaard built a monster side with incredible youth development brilliantly combined with world class talent like Ronaldinho. There is so much more than simply labelling them the Messi years.

To my eye - this entire thread is nothing more than a cheap shot at one of the worlds great clubs and a football rival, mainly worded by those who are jealous ( understandable ) of Barca OR those who can’t accept our own seemingly swift derailment as the team so well on the tracks that it took 97 points and won a CL in 2019.

It’s as if by gloating over Barca’s current woes we somehow make our own slide more palatable.

We have won 2 titles - get a fecking grip. 2 titles with the best manager in the world in place for years and we are gloating or lamenting over Barca’s seeming demise.

For those who don’t know what the fuck they are talking about - this is a decent read about the embryonic stages of one of the greatest club sides ever assembled.

https://www.elartedf.com/rijkaard-barcelona-unsung-hero/

I think the gloating comes from them taking a few of our players and acting in a shithouse manner to get them.
Agree fully about Rijkaard. I've said that myself before when people like to big up Guardiola as the architect at Barca during that era. Even Van Gaal takes some credit too as some of the players and ways were implemented during his tenure.

[fiordearg]

Don't know if anyone read this link
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/how-fc-barcelona-blew-a-fortune-and-got-worse-1.4640594

[fiordearg]

Anyone questioning FSGs financial prudence may look at other club's problems

[ianlfc]

Tears from Messi saying he done all he could to stay even cutting his wages to 250 grand a week. But it still wasn't enough.
He could've played for free though ,seeing he loved the club and on its arse at the minute.
So it's off to Paris with his mates in Qatar.
Personally I think it stinks to high hell of greed.