4 reasons why Barcelona are strong contenders for UCL 2018/19
FC Barcelona have had mixed fortunes in recent seasons. They've been extremely successful domestically, winning four out of the last six La Liga titles, and utterly dominating in the competition which has almost turned into their personal playground: the Copa Del Rey (They have won it four times on the trot).
However, it is in the Champions League, which is the ultimate test of European royalty that they have faltered. They have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the competition in each of the last three editions, in embarrassing fashions to Italian clubs in the last two. First to Roma last season, throwing away a 3-goal first leg advantage with a total capitulation in the second leg in Rome and a season before that to Juventus where they put in no-shows over two legs in a 3-0 aggregate whitewash.
What has made their European woes more painful is the fact that their Spanish and eternal rivals Real Madrid have been so glaringly successful in Europe, winning the Champions League in each of the same three editions that Barcelona had been eliminated at the quarter-final.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, the Blaugrana are one of Europe's most decorated sides, winning La Liga on 25 occasions, and triumphing in Europe's premier club competition five times, so Barcelona will be seeking to end the Champions League malaise as soon as possible.
Here are four reasons why Barcelona could win the Champions League in the coming season.
#4 They are Barcelona
Regardless of the trying period the club finds itself in at the moment, it is still FC Barcelona, European royalty and the only club to have won all six major trophies in a year, and won a double treble (2009, 2015).
The club has won the Champions League a total of five times, winning four in the last 10 years, and appearing in numerous semi-finals in that time-frame.
They still possess some of the most gifted players in the world, superstar world class footballers such as Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic, Philippe Coutinho, Samuel Umtiti, who have won almost everything there is to win in football.
The Blaugrana go into any tournament as one of the favorites to win it, on virtue of their history and the caliber of players they possess, thinking otherwise because of their recent struggles is foolhardy.
Barcelona also has Messi within its ranks, the diminutive Argentine's status as one of the greatest players of all time is not in doubt, neither is his innate ability to turn games around in favor of his team when the chips are down. With him, any team in the world fancies its chances of winning any competition they participate in, and Barcelona is not an exception.