They’ve conquered Europe and Spain, catching the eyes of millions worldwide with their brilliant style of play. Messi, Johan Cruyff, Ronaldo Nazario, Xavi, and Andrés Iniesta, are just some of the all-time soccer legends that have represented the Catalan team, FC Barcelona. In recent times, The Catalan giants have hit rock bottom, with over a billion euros in debt due to legend Lionel Messi leaving the club.
Ex-President Josep Maria Bartomeu is to blame for this downfall due to the complete turmoil during his time in charge from 2014 to his resignation in 2020. Bartomeu saw early success, as he was welcomed with the UEFA Champions League within his first two years in charge, along with notable world-class signings. Ex-Liverpool striker, Luis Suarez, was one of the first to join in the Bartomeu Era. Despite having the greatest attacking trio which consisted of Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., and Luis Suarez, major success was short-lived.
Soon egos grew, and Brazilian gem Neymar Jr. thought he was being outshined, and decided his time in Spain was up, as Paris Saint-Germain activated his release clause and set a world record with the transfer fee of 222 million euros in 2017. Rather than being patient with all the money, the Catalans decided to splash the cash on Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, and Phillippe Coutinho for just under 400 million euros, who all have underperformed and left the club by 2023. This along with monstrous wages and COVID-19 were to blame for their outrageous debt. On top of this, disagreements in the locker room and during matches were constantly recurring.
As the pandemic surged across the world, everything was put on pause. However, soccer made a quick return in the summer of 2020, and Barcelona was back to their winning ways until the Champions League restarted.
The Catalans were matched up with Italian giants, Napoli, where they went on to send them back to Naples. Then, in what seemed to be the game of the year, German giants, Bayern Munich were drawn to play against Barcelona. Within the first 10 minutes, the scores were level at one apiece, until Munich went on a rampage. The match ended 8-2 to the German Champions, who went on to win six trophies that season. Understandably, legend Lionel Messi was furious with the result and threatened to leave the club, which soon caused Bartomeu to resign two months later.
Since newly elected club President Joan Laporta has taken charge, the Catalans have seen a drastic change. Though Laporta had inherited a debt pit, which forced Messi’s departure, his brilliance is unparalleled, with the emphasis on resurrecting the club. The sale of TV rights for hundreds of millions, to reduced wages, to the millions more generated with the sale of unimportant players helped Barcelona climb out of what seemed to be the endless pit of debt. Ex-Barça star, and legendary midfielder, Xavi Hernández, decided his time coaching in the Middle East was up, and wanted to coach the Catalans.
Soccer rules Clark Magnet High School, with students watching matches during breaks, to the lower classmen playing during gym. Many are fans of the illustrious club, like junior Arman Rostomyan. Rostomyan recently visited Barcelona’s home stadium, Camp Nou, this past summer.
“As a lifetime Barcelona Fan, seeing their downfall was definitely upsetting. Going from having the best players in the world and winning six trophies all within the same year, to having over a billion dollars in debt has been a roller coaster of emotions,” Rostomyan said.
Barça was back. There was finally chemistry, a young core and manager, paired with a cooperating president who wanted the best for the club. Although the chaos had ripped the club to pieces, it didn’t take away its winning heritage, which still attracted the top talents of European Soccer. Barcelona also brought home some silverware during the 2022-2023 campaign, becoming La Liga Champions, and Spanish Super Cup Champions. Serial winner and German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan dreamed of one day representing the Catalans, along with Portuguese star Joao Felix. After a summer full of transfer drama, Barcelona managed to win over their signatures, despite their previous teams’ efforts to prevent a transfer.
Barcelona’s inevitable comeback proved doubters wrong, thanks to their strong start to the 2023-2024 campaign, where they seemed to be the favorites of many competitions, including the Champions League. Despite recent major injuries, which have led to subpar performances, fans still show their support and trust in the project. The sense of togetherness was stronger than ever, and young stars reinstated the true meaning that is Fútbol Club Barcelona
