Photo by Mark Leech/Getty Images
Which one is your favourite?
With no prospect of football for the foreseeable future, it’s time to delve into the archives and get all teary-eyed about halcyon days.
Barca have had quite a few of those.
I’m only going to select five matches - in no particular order - to look back on.
There’ll be plenty that could’ve made this list, but let me know in the comments if you agree these are amongst the Blaugranes best.
European Cup Final, Wembley, 1992
For the most part, this was an evenly and keenly contested final. With the passage of time, the quality that was on display seems to have been largely forgotten.
Into extra time and the air of disappointment still loomed for a club that for all of their quality over the years, had never got their hands on European football’s top prize.
Step forward Ronaldo Koeman. An exocet into the bottom corner that literally knocked the stuffing out of a stubborn Sampdoria side.
El Clasico, November 2010
Goosebumps watching this back.
The finest club display that many cules will have ever seen. The scoreline merely underscored the total dominance that Barca had over their eternal rivals.
Lest we forget that Mourinho’s Real Madrid were unbeaten going into this match at the end of November 2010, and looking to open up a gap at the top of LaLiga.
This was as close to footballing perfection as it’s possible to be. In every single facet of play, Los Blancos were second best.
A Pep Guardiola inspired triumph.
1986 European Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg
Long before the PSG comeback, came the semi-final victory over Gothenburg.
Back in 1986, Barca headed into the second leg of their European Cup tie 3-0 down, and were given little hope of turning the result around.
Pichi Alonso was one of three heroes on the night, scoring a hat-trick in the 90 minutes, with the match eventually going to penalties.
The tension at the Camp Nou was unbearable, and when Francisco Jose Carrasco missed Barcelona’s third spot kick, the Blaugranes looked destined to miss out on a place in the final.
At 4-3 up in the shoot-out, Gothenburg’s Ronald Nilsson needed only to score to send the Swedish side through.
Urruti’s save and subsequent scoring of the next penalty brought the hosts right back in it.
When the visitors missed their fifth penalty, it was left to Victor Munoz to send the Catalans through.
Barca v Valencia, 2001
The Rivaldo game.
We all know the story. Barca needed a win to qualify for the following season’s Champions League, and Valencia at that time were LaLiga champions.
A trademark free-kick from the Brazilian set the Blaugranes on their way, but Barca were quickly pegged back by a goal from Ruben Baraja.
Rivaldo’s second right on half-time gave the hosts hope again, but Baraja grabbed his second shortly after the break.
It took one of the best bicycle kicks ever seen on 87 minutes to finally finish off Los Che, Rivaldo booked for taking his shirt off in celebration.
Cue pandemonium in the director’s box!
El Clasico 1974
Johan Cruyff’s crowning glory. His performance in the 0-5 at the Santiago Bernabeu was masterful.
Real Madrid’s only real chance of note came in the 17th minute through Manuel Velazquez. His miss seemed to spur Barca on, and Asensi opened the floodgates for the Blaugranes on the half hour.
Within nine minutes, Cruyff added the second, and though it was only 0-2 at half-time, the reality was that Los Blancos could’ve been another two or three behind. In their own back yard.
Asensi made it three on 54 before Cruyff’s raking pass found Juan Carlos to chip home the fourth 11 minutes later.
On 69, Sotil added Barca’s fifth, ensuring that that team would be received as heroes when they returned to Barcelona.
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