This fall from grace has been looming for a while now, thanks to their former president Bartomeu who started the mess.
From a club that controlled their own destiny in competitions they featured in to a club that had to depend on others slipping up to save themselves. Yesterday night, when they took on Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, Barca sat in second spot in a must win encounter whose fate depended on Benfica. Barca either needed to match Benfica’s result or beat Bayern to be assured progress into the round of 16 of the Uefa Champions League.
Their inability to live up to any of the scenarios has ensured they dropped out of the elite UCL to the Europa League, a competition they have never featured in since it rebranded to its current name.
Their domestic plight isn’t helping matters either, with the club languishing in 7th spot and 16 points adrift league leaders Real Madrid. Barcelona may have signed off from the Champions League almost as if bidding it farewell as its financial situation is in a dire situation now that lucrative revenues from Europe’s elite competition have been cut off.
Their hopes of a return among Europe’s finest hangs precariously in the balance. And a productive rebuild that can bring back good results all that’s left in their quest for UCL football next season.