While Inter players were celebrating the victory, Barcelona's stars sat sighing on the pitch, some even crying. The loss to Inter marked 10 years since Barcelona failed to advance to the UEFA Champions League final. Not only that, their dream of eating for three seasons has also been mentioned as they are considered the most likely candidate in the semi-finals.
Still in the first leg, Inter took a 2-0 lead, Barca equalized 2-2 immediately afterwards. However, in the second leg, the Blaugrana even took a 3-2 lead, instead of falling behind with this score in last week's match. It was a pity that in the final minutes, they could not stand firm at Giuseppe Meazza.
"Where others see the end, we see the beginning of the day" - Inigo Martinez posted this status on his personal page, along with photos of Barcelona fans still enthusiastically supporting after the match. They were the ones who traveled from Spain to Italy to cheer Martinez and his teammates on.
The defeat against Inter is not a disaster, Hansi Flick's team still has countless goals to aim for in the coming time. The first of which is El Clasico in the return leg of La Liga this Sunday. With just a home win over Real Madrid at Lluis Companys, the Blaugrana have almost touched both hands in the national championship title.
If we look back at Barcelona when Hansi Flick had not yet arrived, a major crisis had engulfed this team under Xavi. Flick's arrival has created countless opportunities for young players, along with reviving seemingly outdated veterans like Robert Lewandowski.
Before Flick's arrival, Barca had lost continuously in the European Cup for many years, even having to play in the Europa League and lose to Man United. This season, they defeated Bayern Munich, who destroyed them when they fell to the net 8 goals in the quarter-finals of the 2019-2020 season. Last season, Barcelona lost all 3 El Clasico matches. They have now won three against Real Madrid and are set to head into their fourth win this weekend.
Barcelona may stop in the Champions League semi-finals, but from now on, the whole of Europe will have to fear them again as before. Within just 9 months, Hansi Flick has changed everything, regaining all the values that belonged to the "Giant".
This season has also witnessed many comebacks from Barcelona, proving that Pedri and his teammates never give up. They beat Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, Atletico Madrid, Celta Vigo, Real Valladolid (La Liga); Real Madrid ( Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey) and Benfica (Champions League). In particular, 2 of these finals have had Barca beat Real, proving that Los Blancos can still lose the final as usual.
The loss to Inter was a huge shock, especially for many young players and those who have reached the end of their careers in the "Ctalia Giants" squad. However, once Flick stays and the team has regained their winning habits, they will return strongest next season and promise to remain the leading candidate for the European championship title.
