Last week Barcelona opened their 2015-2016 season in the same fashion they ended last season: by winning another trophy. Their 5-4 extra time victory over Seville, gave the club their 4th trophy of the calendar year. The celebration was quickly ruined however by a crushing 4-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup and then a 1-1 draw back in Nou Camp. Bilbao's victory handed them their first trophy in 41 years and ensured that Pep's 2009 Barcelona squad remains the only European club to win 6 trophies in a calendar year. … [Read more...]
The FC Barcelona query
It is really hard to remember the last time Barcelona were looking into the new season with so many question marks over their head, probably not since Pep Guadiola was first appointed coach. Since then, Barcelona had two mini cycles. First was defined by Pep's legacy, in which the late Tito Vilanova managed to win the title but subsequently failed to repeat that level of performance in the Champions league, whilst dealing with a life threatening disease. Last season Tata Martino made a huge leap away from the Barcelona that was lauded as the 'best Barca team in history', installing new ideas … [Read more...]