FC Barcelona is one of the biggest clubs in the world and their players are known worldwide. But how good were they under their legendary manager Pep Guardiola in 2009? Back then, a young Messi played alongside Henry and Eto’o. Their defense consisted of Dani Alves, Puyol, and Abidal, and they had the legendary midfield trio of Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets. Back then, FC Barcelona won everything. They won La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League, also known as “The Treble”. All of Barcelona’s football matches were dominated by FC Barcelona, making this Barcelona team regarded as one of the best by many fans.

But not everyone sees FC Barcelona’s 2009 team as the best. The 2015 team is also highly respected by fans. This team was more entertaining and flashy. Back then, Barcelona had the most dangerous front line ever with Messi, Suarez, and a young Neymar. Their midfield was roughly the same as in 2009, but with the addition of Ivan Rakitic, Barcelona now had more depth in midfield. Their defense consisted of Dani Alves, Pique, Macherano, and Jordi Alba, and with world-class goalkeeper Marc Ter Stegen, this Barcelona was almost impossible to beat. Like in 2009, this Barcelona team also won “The Treble” and dominated all their opponents. But which of the two teams was the best?

Barcelona 2009

As mentioned earlier, Barcelona was coached by master tactician Pep Guardiola. Pep Guardiola implemented the popular tikki-takka, where players like Iniesta, Xavi, and Messi were instrumental in the tactics. Barcelona only lost 5 games in the league and also collected 87 points in the season. Nine more than second-placed Real Madrid. Barcelona’s matches were always controlled by their midfield. This was evident when Barcelona beat Real Madrid 6-2 at the Bernabeu.

In the Copa del Rey, Pep Guardiola fielded reserve players. But this did not stop Barcelona from reaching the final without losing a match. In the final, Barcelona faced Atletico Bilbao. Here, Athletic Bilbao was defeated 4-1, and Barcelona won the Copa del Rey.

In the Champions League, FC Barcelona was just as dominant. After some easy matches in the group stage, they also knocked out Sporting, Lyon, and Bayern Munich in the knockout phase, ending up in the Champions League final where they faced Manchester United. The final was played in Rome, Stadio Olimpico. FC Barcelona had a slow start to the game, where United wasted many great chances. But later FC Barcelona got into the game. Here, Xavi dominated the game, and United looked completely lost. With goals from Eto’o and Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona won their first Champions League trophy since 1992, completing “The Treble”.

Barcelona 2015

No one expected Barcelona’s 2009 team to be surpassed. But here came the 2015 team. With Luis Enrique at the helm, he created perhaps the most dangerous front three in history with Messi, Suarez, and Neymar. The three players had a chemistry between them that had never been seen before. With 122 goals, Barcelona’s front three statistically became the deadliest front three in history.

In the league, there was more competition than in 2009. Real Madrid was with them all the way. But with only 4 losses in the league and 94 points, Barcelona won by 2 points over Real Madrid. This was the highest point total in La Liga’s history and thus Spain’s strongest team. Barcelona’s games were super entertaining, with their victory over Cordoba being 0-8. Barcelona also had an unbeaten streak of 14 games in La Liga.

In the Copa del Rey, Barcelona easily made it through the cup and once again ended up in the final against Athletic Bilbao. And once again, Barcelona easily won against Bilbao 3-1, winning their second trophy.

In the Champions League, they went through the group stage with 15/18 points and topped the group. They only lost to PSG. On their way to the Champions League final, they won against Manchester City 3-1, against PSG 5-1, and in the semifinals 5-3. In the final, they faced Italian giants Juventus. The final was end-to-end, and both teams tried everything to win, as both teams had the opportunity to achieve “The Treble” by winning the Champions League final. The final ended 3-1, with goals from Suarez, Rakitic, and Neymar, and thus FC Barcelona achieved their second treble triumph ever.

Barcelona 2022

FC Barcelona has gone through a tough period lately, both on the pitch and financially. FC Barcelona had to sell their star player, Lionel Messi, due to financial reasons. On the football side, FC Barcelona has not won La Liga since 2019, and in the last 2 Champions League campaigns, they have dropped to the Europa League after the group stage, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals against Eintracht Frankfurt.

But now things are looking somewhat brighter for FC Barcelona. With Xavi as coach, he has created a young and entertaining team. In midfield, Barcelona has the 2 young players, Gavi and Pedri. On the wings, Ferras Torres, Raphinha, and Ansu Fati fly up and down the flank, and up top, Barcelona has the goalscorer, Robert Lewandowski. With this team, we expect FC Barcelona to return to the top in the near future, like the old FC Barcelona did.