Though the Spanish outfit will undoubtedly be inclined to point the finger elsewhere, for Liverpool fans there seems to be an irresistible link between Barcelona’s downturn in fortunes and the 4-0 comeback that famously took place at Anfield in the Champions League.
Since that point, it seems the Blaugrana haven’t quite got up and over the hill they’ve been trudging up over the last few years, with Spartak Moskow’s Twitter account the latest to have a dig following one fan’s tweet.
See you in Round of 16 👋 https://t.co/wo0cuLv82n
— FC Spartak Moscow (@fcsm_eng) December 10, 2021
From celebrating Champions League trophies to beefing with Spartak Moscow in Europa League…
We feel for you, Barca fans ❤️ https://t.co/GhPlmhX7jK
— FC Spartak Moscow (@fcsm_eng) December 10, 2021
Financial concerns have of course been prominent for the La Liga giants, with superstar midfielder Leo Messi a casualty in the summer window.
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It’s a stunning fall from grace for a side of the size of the Catalan outfit, with Xavi’s men having not gone near the second-tier European competition since the 2003/04 season.
We’re sure things will eventually improve for Barcelona, though their current circumstances do send a rather strong warning to other clubs around the risks of an untamed spending culture.
As far as Liverpool are concerned, it’s a decent advertisement for FSG’s focus on sustainability.