Barcelona will play in the Europa League in the new year. The very same Barcelona that wanted to — and still want to — form a European Super League earlier this year are no longer good enough to make the knockout rounds of the Champions League, missing it for the first time in 17 seasons. What chance would they have in a Super League?
Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat against a Bayern Munich side in second gear, coupled with Benfica’s big win over Dynamo Kiev in Lisbon, sentenced them to third place in Group E and condemned them to Thursday night football in 2022. It’s the first time since 2003-04, when they didn’t qualify for the Champions League, that Barca won’t be in the last-16 of Europe’s elite competition.
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People who have been following Barca closely in recent years won’t be surprised by their demise. Since last competing in the Europa League — when it was still known as the UEFA Cup — in 2004, they’ve won the Champions League four times. Since last winning it, though, in 2015, things have deteriorated quickly. They’ve lost by three goals or more to Paris Saint-Germain (twice), Juventus (twice), Roma, Liverpool and Benfica in Europe in the past four seasons alone. And then there’s Bayern, who have now beaten them by three goals or more three times over the past 16 months, totting up an aggregate score of 14-2.
If Bayern Munich are the benchmark in Europe along with their Premier League peers, then Wednesday in an empty Allianz Arena as the snow fell offered the latest glimpse into just how far Barca have fallen. Asked why Bayern are now so superior to Barca ahead of this week’s game, defender Gerard Pique said it’s because they are a better-run club. “It’s as simple as that,” he said, pessimistically.
Source : espn
