Barcelona’s dominance of Real Madrid in the last two football seasons has been clear for all to see. So much so, indeed, that their rivals from the Spanish capital have just appointed their fourth manager in 12 months with the return of Jose Mourinho. Now Barca are aiming to pile on the misery for Los Blancos.
With Barca having captured two successive La Liga titles, and with the team’s players performing a major part in Spain’s World Cup win last month, it is no surprise that oddsmakers are predicting a Blaugrana three-peat. The last time the Catalan club achieved that feat was under legendary Catalan manager Pep Guardiola, who finished the run by making it a Champions League double in 2011. The gap to Real in terms of titles remains a sore point, however, with the Madrid club having lifted the trophy on 36 occasions compared to Barca’s 29.
Barca, though, have won 13 of the last 25 La Liga titles, with Real winning seven in that time. Now, their chance to finally close a painful and long-standing wound has never been better. The World Cup success, which saw no Real player included in the Spanish national squad, could also well become a launching pad into the season.
Defenders Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia; midfielders Dani Olmo, Pedri and Lamine Yamal; and forward Ferran Torres all shone as the global crown was claimed for a second time. Though the extended World Cup run also means Hansi Flick will have to handle potential burnout, Barca’s youthful roster should be resilient. At 36, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is Barcelona’s only player over 30.
So what could be the deciding factors to tip the title in Barca’s favour once more? Al Jazeera takes a look at five key questions for Flick’s side ahead of the coming season. Ronald Araujo, who captained the team and provided defensive muscle, is off to Liverpool.
That leaves back line leadership to 19-year-old Cubarsi, who depends more on anticipation and positioning than so-called intimidation. Cubarsi has proven himself as a two-season starter, able to mix it up as he’s grown in stature, and capping his progress by performing start to finish in the World Cup. Mobility aligned with the ability to read situations well means he is considered far older than his tender years.
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