Close to a blaugrana era

Time will tell whether this Barça team , which we dubbed Dream Teen in the pages of La Vanguardia , will mark an era in modern football or be a flash in the pan. This supplement attempts to explain the phenomenon that has been this year's emergence of this team, which, beyond the likes and dislikes of certain colors, is captivating fans around the world.

No one was giving a damn about a group of players who had just completed a lackluster season and were immersed in a club with such a massive financial crunch that it was difficult to sign future stars. After two failed coaching experiences with two club legends, Ronald Koeman and Xavi Hernández, and with the heavy shadow of the troubled departure of the world's best player, Leo Messi, it seemed very difficult for anyone to turn things around.

Read also Flick has laid the foundations for a defining era, but he needs the club to sort out the financial situation.

Thus, Hansi Flick arrived in a modest way, a coach, admittedly, of great prestige, but with credentials that brought back bad memories for Barcelona fans because he was in charge of the Bayern Munich team that beat Barça 8-2 in the 2020 Champions League quarterfinals.

Flick accepted what he had and began to inspire confidence in the youth system . His first match was none other than against Manchester City in an exhibition match in Orlando. His starting eleven included young players like Iñaki Peña, Héctor Fort, Gerard Martín, Marc Bernal, Marc Casadó, Pablo Torre, and Pau Víctor. The German coach surprised everyone with a high-profile defense and tremendous pressing unlike anything Barça had seen before. A 2-2 draw followed by a penalty shootout. The beginning of everything. Remember?

Little by little, he integrated the rest of the first-team players and began his great revolution. Flick brought back players like Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Koundé, Pedri, Íñigo Martínez, Balde, and Lewandowski, who began to play at a level previously unknown. Fans were rubbing their eyes. There was also the revelation of Lamine Yamal , who began to do things with the ball that were unbecoming of a 17-year-old. And so, quietly and to the general surprise of the football world, Barça reached the end of the season having won La Liga, the Copa del Rey , and the Super Cup, already one step away from the Champions League final.

If you analyze the ages of some of these stars (Pedri, 22; Fermín, 22; Balde, 21; Casadó, 21; Gavi, 20; Cubarsí, 18; Héctor Fort, 18; Bernal, 17; Lamine Yamal, 17), you come to the easy conclusion that there's still more future than present. It's no exaggeration to think this team could mark an era. The key, however, is how to mature these young players so that all these expectations don't distract them from their necessary evolution. As good coaches always say, the hardest thing isn't reaching the top, but knowing how to stay there and maintain the same hunger and desire to win again. How many good teams have been lost simply because they grew tired of lifting trophies?

Flick's support, which has been instrumental in this first season, is more necessary than ever in the future to maintain the competitive edge of his players. It won't be easy to repeat this season, nor will it be easy to win the Champions League, which seems to be this young team's obsession.

Just as important as Flick is resolving the club's financial fragility, which nearly left Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor out of the game this season . It's exciting to think about this Barça at the new Spotify Camp Nou, and it would be even more so if the cash flow issues were resolved. Barça is close to marking an era.