Can Barcelona's season be called a failure?
Liverpool unexpectedly pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the UEFA Champions League history to dump Barcelona out of the competition and reach their second successive final. Braces from Gini Wijnaldum and Divock Origi helped the hosts overturn a 3-0 deficit and beat Barcelona 4-0 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.
What was supposed to be Barca's year in the Champions League has ended miserably for them, just like it did last year when AS Roma completed a comeback against them in the quarterfinals.
Having already won the LaLiga with ease and reached the final of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona were expected to deliver against Liverpool and reach their first Champions League final since 2015. But they didn't have any answer to Liverpool's attack, and looked clueless for the majority of the match - with their captain Messi having a rare off day.
Jordi Alba, one of Barca's best players this season, probably played one of his worst matches as a professional last night. The pragmatic approach from Ernesto Valverde didn't help Barca's cause either, and he might regret his decision to not play more offensive football or the "Barca way".
Barcelona looked a step slow at every turn and just couldn't cope with Liverpool's insensity. The players didn't have any spark, and Valverde's substitutions were pretty late in the match - when the match was already lost.
On the other hand, Liverpool were full of energy despite not even having the luxury that Barcelona did of resting players over the weekend.
It is not easy to retain a league title, and Barca have won 8 out of the last 11 LaLigas. They might even win back-to-back domestic doubles come May 25th, when they face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final. But what the Barca fans and players, especially Messi, wanted the most this season was the Champions League.
Having seen Madrid win the last three Champions League titles, they were definitely motivated and encouraged to bring the trophy back to the Camp Nou. But like last year, they faltered when least expected.
They will again try to win it next year, but for now Barcelona's main objective this season has been shattered. Nobody knows whether Valverde will be at the helm next year, but for now Barcelona need regroup and at least try to get some solace by defending their Copa del Rey title.
It might not be enough for the Barca fans, but no one wants another embarrassment on May 25th.