It’s been a while since Barca last won the Champions League. Fc Barcelona have been shipwrecked in Europe for years. There have been many European nights in which they have seen their dream turn into a nightmare.
The Last Champions League:
The last time the Catalans won the Champions League, Xavi was still playing. Barca’s last title charge was in the 2014-2015 season during Luis Enrique’s era with the fearsome attacking trio of Messi-Suarez-Neymar. The Blaugranas became the European champions for the fifth time.
Barcelona defeated Juventus 3-1 in Berlin. From then on, they have not managed to reach another final. The furthest they’ve advanced was the 2018-19 semi-final when a 3-0 first-leg advantage turned into a debacle at Anfield in the return leg.
This 2022-2023 Champions League is the first Champions League where Xavi is the coach at the start of the campaign since in the previous one he was only in charge of two games. Curiously, the last time the team won this competition, he was the captain.
Perhaps fate has wanted ‘ele Garense’ to be the one to bring back this title to the club. What is clear is that there is a lot of ambition to win the long-awaited ‘orejona’. From that final in Berlin, there are only four players that are in the current squad – Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, and Marc Andre Ter Stegen. Now only two of them are undisputed starters for Xavi.
Xavi’s optimism:
Barca’s coach has recalled how long it has been since they won the top European competition. “We are going to compete, of course, and dream of winning the Champions League too. I like to win, I want to win everything. But from here to being favorites, there is a long way to go. The illusion is very good but we have to be very humble. We haven’t won the Champions League since 2015”, said Xavi Hernández at his pre-match press conference.
“We hope that this year history will not repeat itself about what happened in Rome or against Liverpool. We are very excited about the Champions League, but only one wins it. There are great teams out there. We will try to be one of those who compete until the end,” said the former Barca captain.
The Catalans want to turn the page and forget those memories of Rome, Anfield, and Lisbon. The best way to do it is to win the Champions League with the promising squad president Laporta has assembled.
