Barcelona manager Hansi Flick seems destined to lead the club into the Champions League semi-finals, a major milestone in the team’s attempt to regain their place among Europe’s elite after a difficult ten years, barring an unlikely comeback against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
A place in the final four, where Barcelona would likely be tipped to progress further, would mark their most successful European campaign since the departure of club legend Lionel Messi.
Domestically, they are enjoying their strongest season in years — sitting four points ahead of rivals Real Madrid in La Liga with seven games left and also set to face them in the Copa del Rey final.
Since lifting the Champions League trophy in Berlin in 2015, Barcelona have reached the semi-finals only once, in the 2018–19 season — a campaign best remembered for the infamous collapse at Anfield, where they let a 3-0 first-leg advantage slip in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Their European woes continued the following season with a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Flick’s Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. It wasn’t until the current 2023–24 season that Barcelona managed to break through to the last eight again. Though they beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 in the first leg last year, they were overwhelmed 4-1 in the return fixture.
In addition to their on-field struggles, the club has been plagued by financial crises and the devastating departure of Messi, who left on a free transfer in 2021.
This season, however, has brought a fresh sense of optimism. Youngster Lamine Yamal, often touted as Messi’s heir, has emerged as a shining star, supported by the attacking efforts of Raphinha and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski.
Under Flick’s leadership, Barcelona are showing signs of their former dominance, particularly against strong opponents.
Their 4-0 first-leg win over last year’s finalists Dortmund has put them firmly in control of their quarter-final tie. That result followed an emphatic 4-1 group-stage victory over Bayern Munich, a statement win that underlined the progress made under Flick.
In domestic action, Barcelona have also trounced Real Madrid twice this season, by scorelines of 4-0 and 5-2.
This campaign is also proving to be a moment of redemption for Flick. Despite leading Bayern Munich to a historic six-trophy season in 2019–20, his disappointing spell in charge of the German national team raised questions about his credentials.
Now, the chance to win the Champions League final at Munich’s Allianz Arena — Bayern’s home ground — would be a fitting way to silence the doubters.
“We’ve come this far, but we want to continue on this path,” Flick said on Saturday, visibly upbeat.
“I’m enjoying working with this team and the coaching staff. The spirit in the squad is incredible.”
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, may look to Liverpool’s famous comeback in 2019 for inspiration, particularly as they host the second leg in front of their passionate home support. But the scale of the challenge is immense.
While a 2-2 draw away to Bayern Munich at the weekend offered some encouragement, their overall domestic form has left them struggling to re-enter the European qualification places in the Bundesliga.
Sporting director Lars Ricken admitted that only something extraordinary could see Dortmund through.
“We need the greatest miracle in the history of Borussia Dortmund to reach the semi-finals,” said Ricken, who famously scored in the 1997 Champions League final win over Juventus.
Head coach Niko Kovac remained hopeful, though realistic: “Without hope, it would be pointless. We aim to win the match — whether it’s 1-0 or 2-1, we want to deliver something for our fans.”
